A BELOVED dog at the centre of a meme craze has died after a battle with cancer.

Pup Balltze, also known as Cheems, died age 12 during surgery and tributes have flown in from around the world for the much loved pooch.

Cheems died at the old age of 12Credit: InstagramHe was fighting Leukaemia in his old ageCredit: Instagram

A photo of Cheems went viral in the early 2010s and he gained a following on many social media platforms.

The meme version of "Cheems" known for liking cheeseburgers, which it pronounces "Cheemsburger".

Many photos of Cheems use the awkward picture taken by his owner in 2017 to express their discomfort or weakness at situations.

His uncomfortable expression captured the hearts of millions who found Cheems all too relatable.

On his official Instagram, his owner posted: "Please don't be sad, please remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world.

"A Shiba Inu with a round smiling face connecting you and me, he has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission has completed.

"I believe he is running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends. He will always be inside my heart. I hope he can continue to bring joy to everyone in the online world, that’s my only humble request."

Fans flooded the comment section with condolences to the hilarious pup and his family.

One commented: "I never thought I'd be saying I shed a tear for the passing of a dog that I never even met but Cheems truly was special."

Another said: "He is a legend of the Internet world, a meme founder and now, he is immortal."

His face was the centre of many memesCredit: Know Your MemeCheems fought Leukaemia valiantly this past yearCredit: InstagramThe smiling pooch brought joy to millionsCredit: Instagram