TIFU by accidentally adopting a dog and only later finding out I’m allergic

TIFU didn’t happen today, but it slowly unfolded over weeks and left me with a mix of guilt, attachment, and a very angry immune system.

It was bitterly cold outside — the kind of cold that makes the city feel empty and hostile. I went out for something trivial: chips and beer. A small comfort against the weather.

Halfway to the store, a dog started following me. Small, scruffy, clearly a stray. I told myself not to read into it. Dogs follow people. That’s normal.

Except he didn’t stop.

I slowed down. He slowed down. I stopped. He stopped. Still there. Still watching me.

I went into the store, expecting him to disappear. When I came back out, he was sitting right outside, curled up, waiting. That was the first moment I felt like I’d already lost.

I bought him food. He ate like he was starving. I pet him, said goodbye, and walked away, forcing myself not to look back.

He followed me anyway.

At my apartment building, I told him goodbye again. He didn’t react. He just sat down in the cold and waited. Two hours passed. I watched him from my window. He never moved.

Eventually, I let him in — not because I planned to keep him, but because I couldn’t leave him there.

Days turned into weeks. He learned my routine before I even realized I had one. He waited by the door. He trusted me completely. And somewhere along the way, I stopped thinking of him as “a dog I helped” and started thinking of him as my dog.

Then my body started falling apart.

I couldn’t breathe properly at night. My eyes burned and watered constantly. I sneezed until my head hurt. My skin itched. Every symptom got worse, but I ignored them because admitting the truth felt like betrayal.

When I finally got tested, the result was clear: dog allergy.

There’s something especially cruel about finding out you’re allergic to something you love.

I didn’t just mess up by letting a dog follow me home. I messed up by letting myself believe it was destiny.

TL;DR: Went out in freezing weather, got followed by a stray dog, took him in, bonded deeply over a month, then discovered I’m allergic to dogs and had to face the reality that love doesn’t always mean compatibility.

UPDATE:

I’ve received a lot of criticism, but I want to clarify the situation. I’m not a doctor, and my conclusions were based only on my consultation with a doctor. Thank you for the advice and the criticism — I already have an appointment with another doctor tomorrow and I’m ready to continue this fight.

At the moment, the dog is staying with my father, so I hope he will return to me soon.

I also want to explain that in my region there are many stray dogs, and I truly found a friend — one I’m fighting for so he can be with me