The prototype of the Doge emoticon has passed away. What can we do when dogs get old?

Kabosu passed away peacefully at 7:50 am on May 24. You may not know who Kabosu (Japanese: かぼす) is, but you must have used the "dog head" emoticon pack, and Kabosu is the prototype of the "dog head" emoticon, the Shiba Inu .

Internet red dog doge emoticon package

Kabosu's owner, Atsuko Sato, posted on social media:

"On the morning of May 24, Kabosu passed away peacefully, without any pain, as if he had fallen asleep.

I'm pretty sure Kabosu is the happiest dog in the world.

This makes me the happiest host in the world.”

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From "rebirth" to "peak of dog life"

Kabosu has lived a legendary life. We don't know his exact date of birth, but we know that he was born in a breeding factory. Unfortunately, the factory closed down soon after, and Kabosu was sent to an animal shelter. Since Kabosu is not an E dog and will not approach strangers to show himself, he was not adopted for a long time in the shelter.

On November 2, 2008, when Atsuko Sato came to the animal shelter, she happened to see the quiet and well-behaved Kabosu. Sato was attracted by the cute Kabosu and took it home. Sato also "set" this day as Kabosu's third birthday.

Since then, Sato has taken in two more cats, and the friendly Kabosu has learned to live in harmony with the cats.

Cat licks dog's fur｜kabosumama/ins

Sato usually posts photos of Kabosu on social networking sites. On February 13, 2010, Sato posted a photo of Kabosu with his front paws folded together and glaring at the audience (camera). Kabosu's expression contained a mysterious sense of mockery , which made this photo quickly become popular on the Internet as an emoticon.

"Doge" and "狗头" are the "stage names" given to Kabosu by netizens after he became popular on the Internet.

Old age life in Kabosu

In 2022, 17-year-old Kabosu was diagnosed with intrahepatic cholangitis and chronic B-lymphocytic leukemia . Although Kabosu overcame the difficulties with the help of doctors, his old body could not fully recover.

To make matters worse, from the photos and videos shared by Sato, it can be seen that Kabosu's eyes are gray and he is suspected of having cataracts.

Old Kabosu｜Kabosumama/ins

Kabosu's " tilted head " phenomenon was not for cuteness, but may be due to ear damage, which caused a disorder in the balance system, or head or nerve problems. Before his death, although Kabosu could still eat and drink, he had difficulty walking and needed the help of assistive devices.

Kabosu tilts his head while walking｜Kabosumama/ins

Of course, cataracts and head tilt have no direct relationship with the cholangitis and leukemia mentioned above. These two diseases visible to the naked eye may not even be caused by old age.

Cataracts in Shiba Inus may be related to genes. The most common disease in this breed is patellar luxation , while rare diseases are allergies and cataracts, so the focus of daily inspections is the knees, hips, and eyes . Ear damage can occur at any age. If ear damage occurs, it may cause imbalance, and the symptoms are crooked neck or unstable walking. Cholangitis and leukemia are both medical diseases that cannot be diagnosed by naked eyes. A systematic examination at a pet hospital is required for diagnosis.

In addition to Shiba Inu, other common dog breeds should pay attention to the following diseases and conduct regular physical examinations to ensure the health of your pets.

Pomeranian

The most common health problem for Pomeranians is bad teeth . Compared with other breeds of dogs, their teeth fall out earlier.

To prevent it, first of all, you should provide dry food , such as dog food, and store it in a dry environment. Secondly, clean the teeth regularly . If you have the conditions, it is best for the pet owner to brush the teeth of the Pomeranian personally. If you really don’t have time, you should at least take the Pomeranian to the animal hospital for professional cleaning every year. Other health problems include dry eyes, cataracts, skin infections, etc.

Elderly Pomeranians are at risk of heart disease , which is also a common genetic disease in Pomeranians. The main symptom of heart disease in Pomeranians is coughing. Most cases of heart disease can be diagnosed by taking X-rays at a pet hospital combined with a clinical diagnosis by a veterinarian. Heart disease is a disease of the elderly and is difficult to cure. General drugs can only delay the disease and relieve the pain of pets.

VIP (Teddy)

Standard Poodles, like other large breed dogs, are at risk for hip dysplasia .

Miniature poodles (Teddy) may have genetic diseases such as patellar (kneecap) luxation and double teeth . Patellar luxation is caused by the shallow trochlear groove under the patella (hypoplasia), which manifests as limping or one leg not touching the ground sometimes, and sometimes returning to normal.

Since they are lop-eared dogs, ear infections are a problem that should not be underestimated.

Common eye problems in poodles include cataracts, tearing and retinal atrophy. Some poodles may suffer from epilepsy.

Corgi

One of the reasons why Corgis are excellent pet dogs is that they have relatively few genetic diseases. Of course, most genetic diseases can be prevented through genetic testing. Corgis are more likely to have hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy and eye diseases .

In addition, because the Corgi has a relatively long body, if it eats too much, it will put a lot of pressure on the spine , which may develop into lumbar disease over time.

Golden Retriever

Main diseases: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cataracts.

Minor diseases: entropion, inverted eyelashes, obsessive-compulsive disorder, von Willebrand disease, allergies, cardiomyopathy.

Rare diseases: gastric torsion, epilepsy, osteosarcoma.

Physical examination recommendations: hips, elbows, eyes, cardiovascular system.

Border Collie

Hip dysplasia: May cause mild to severe lameness (limping).

Osteochondritis: may occur in underage dogs that are overnourished and grow too fast.

Progressive retinal atrophy: manifested as night blindness. A small number of Border Collies may suffer from epilepsy and deafness.

Dealing with Senior Dogs

Kabosu was 18 years old when he died, while the life span of a Shiba Inu is generally between 12 and 15 years. Caring for an elderly dog ​​is not an easy task. Sato said that Kabosu made her the happiest owner, but in fact, this happiness is inseparable from her careful care.

A dog's lifespan is related to many factors, including genes, body size, and environment. However, large dogs generally have a relatively shorter lifespan. Dogs over ten years old are considered old (some large dogs, such as St. Bernards, Basset Hounds, Tibetan Mastiffs, etc., can be considered old at the age of eight).

From the perspective of animal welfare, conservative treatment is recommended for elderly dogs who are sick , because the anesthesia risk of surgery is relatively high and the postoperative recovery is relatively slow. Even if the operation is successful, it may not necessarily improve the quality of life.

If an elderly dog ​​has difficulty walking due to trauma but still has a good appetite, you can consider pet-assisted walking equipment . After purchasing the right type of equipment, it will hardly affect the quality of life.

For elderly dogs with eye diseases, please try not to change the living environment and keep the furniture layout unchanged. This way, even if the dog cannot see clearly, it can still identify the direction through other senses.

For dogs that eat, drink, defecate and urinate normally and are just getting old, you can increase the frequency of physical examinations. If you are diagnosed with a chronic disease that is difficult to reverse, you can buy elderly dog ​​food or prescription food according to the veterinarian's advice. For elderly dogs with poor appetite, my advice is to accompany them more and eat good food . At this time, you don't have to worry about body management. As long as the dog likes to eat, satisfy its needs!

Parting with your beloved dog is a hurdle that pet owners have to face. If you feel troubled or overwhelmed, there are now a large number of pet hospice services. In addition to the basic cremation and farewell ceremony, pet funeral directors can also provide some emotional value to help owners retain the memories of their life with their dogs.

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Finally, I hope that all pet owners’ pets can grow up healthily!

Author: SamKakeru

Edited by: Yellowtail Pollock