Cheems Balltze, cheeseburger-loving viral dog dies at 12

Viral internet meme dog Cheems Balltze, who went popular for his smiling face and love for cheeseburgers has died after fighting a battle with cancer only at the age of twelve.

Cheems, a 12-year-old Shiba Inu also known as Ball Ball, underwent thoracentesis surgery on Friday but never awoke, according to a post on Instagram from his owner Kathy. She stated that following the operation, Ball Ball would continue his cancer therapy.

The 12 year old Shiba Inu, who was also called Ball Ball went through a thoracentesis surgery on Friday, but he never got conscious afterward.

In an Instagram post by his owner Kathy, it was planned that Cheems would go through his cancer treatment after the surgery.

She added that the chubby dog with a "round smiling face" was adored by many. She requested her followers to "remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world."

Ball Ball was a dog from Hong Kong, who rose to fame in 2017 after an Instagram user commented that he "looks like Cheese". As a result of this incident, he adopted the stage name "Cheems" or "Cheemsburger." His owner began posting pictures of him on Instagram two years ago to keep a record his feelings.

The meme "Swole Doge vs. Cheems," which contrasts an overly muscular dog with a smaller, more timid dog, is another thing for which he was well-known.

In May, Kathy shared the news of his cancer diagnosis and uploaded images to Instagram. She thanked his admirers for their assistance in getting him where he is now and wished that "he can continue to bring joy to everyone in the online world, that's my only humble request."

“I’m truly grateful to all of you, your love and support to Ball Ball is so unconditional and I found that is the purest love in the world, having Ball Ball in my life is the best thing that ever happened,” the post said. “Balltze knows how much he was loved by all of you.”

“He has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission is completed. I believe he is running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends", she added in the post.