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The 17-year-old Kapuso, the famous internet sensation who birthed “Dog” meme and Dogecoin, has been diagnosed with leukemia and liver disease.
The puppy’s owner, Atsuko Sato, posted an updated video of her health on her Instagram account, showing footage of Kapuso lying on the floor of their home, eating and drinking while wrapped in blankets and limping slightly as she strolled around the living room. Sato ends the video with a shot of her resting with Kapuso and her cat.
In her caption, she writes, “The names of Kapuso’s disease are acute cholestatic hepatitis and chronic lymphoma. At present, the liver level is very bad and jaundice appears.”
She added that there is hope for a cure, saying, “The antibiotics will definitely improve [her health]and that Capuso “has an appetite again” and “he can also drink water”.
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In one of the letters the day before, Sato had indicated that she was taking Kapuso to the hospital for a check-up because she had stopped drinking and eating on Christmas Eve.
To all of you who are worried, she said, “Thank you very much.”
Thousands of comments flooded the post wishing the Shiba Inu well. One commenter said, “I wish family strength and a pain-free operation for Capuso. We love you Doge. You defined an era and an entire generation on the internet. Good luck!” Another said: “Nightmare the world is rooting for you.”
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In 2010, Sato posted a photo of Kapuso lying on her stomach with her paws crossed while apparently posing for the camera. The image spread like wildfire on various websites like Reddit and Tumblr, along with a text of what they imagined the dog’s inner monologue.
A few years later in 2013, the meme inspired the creation of a cryptocurrency called Dogecoin. The viral image of Kapuso has become the representative image of cryptocurrency, and is considered the first cryptocurrency “meme”, according to CNN.
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Sato said she remains amazed at the far-reaching impact of Kapuso’s photo, writing on Instagram last year: “Never in a million years would I have imagined the impact my photo of Kapuso would have on the Internet.”
“It’s a moment that has evolved and taken on a life of its own over the past decade,” she added, sharing millions of times and building an entire community around the meme doge.
