How the app is organized
DiaPetic is organized into five tabs:
- Tracker is the daily log, where you record shots, meals, the daily check-in and journal entries.
- Reports summarizes the last 7 days to 6 months, including glucose charts and PDF reports for your veterinarian.
- Vet holds appointments, questions for your veterinarian, clinic contacts and email.
- History lists every day you have logged, with the most recent first.
- The last tab is named after your pet. It contains your pet's details, insulin, meal plan, medications, reminders, supplies and the app's settings.
The pet menu at the top left of every screen switches between pets, and the red emergency button at the top right opens emergency help.
First launch
When you open DiaPetic for the first time, a short note explains that DiaPetic is a record-keeping tool: it does not recommend doses and is not a substitute for veterinary care. Tap I understand to continue to the pet setup screen. Everything you enter there can be changed later.
Your pet's details
Enter your pet's name and species, then choose a breed from the list or type one in. Select a coat color, or choose Other… to describe the color or markings. Add your pet's sex, whether your pet is spayed or neutered, and current weight.
The Microchip # field is optional. If you fill it in, the number appears on the pet information sheet you can share, which can help if your pet is ever lost.
Insulin
- Select your pet's insulin and confirm that the strength, U-40 or U-100, matches the bottle. Always use syringes made for that strength.
- Enter the units and time for the morning and evening shots exactly as your veterinarian prescribed. If your pet receives only one shot a day, leave the other blank.
- Leave Remind me at each shot time turned on unless you prefer not to receive reminders.
Meals and treats
- Choose a feeding style. Most pets on insulin eat set meals; free feeding is also available.
- Tap Add meal food for each food your pet eats, and enter the type, brand, amount and the meal it is served with. Calories can be added now or later; the Food and nutrition chapter explains the options.
- Add your pet's usual treats with Add treat so they are quick to log.
- If your veterinarian has given you a daily calorie target, enter it.
Your veterinarian and an emergency clinic
Enter your veterinarian's clinic and phone number, along with an after-hours emergency clinic. These details power the call and directions buttons throughout the app, including on the emergency screen.
You can add the doctor's name, email address and clinic address later in Vet tab › Contacts › Edit or find clinics, where you can also search for clinics nearby.
Notifications and other permissions
Tap Save to finish. When your iPhone asks whether DiaPetic may send notifications, tap Allow; reminders cannot appear without this permission. DiaPetic asks for other permissions, such as the calendar, camera, location or microphone, only when you first use a feature that needs them.
A checklist for your first week
- Log every shot and meal on the Tracker for the first few days to establish the routine.
- Confirm that reminders arrive at the right times, and adjust them in your pet's tab › Reminders if needed.
- Add any other medications or supplements in your pet's tab › Other medications and supplements.
- Record the insulin bottle in use and any spare bottles in your pet's tab › Insulin bottles.
- Add your next veterinary appointment in the Vet tab.
- Make your first backup in your pet's tab › Backup and restore.