Thank you all for your purrs and good wishes to Hobbes.  As I
reported, I took him back to the vet on Saturday and they felt that
the wound had enlarged simply because dead tissue had fallen away.
They did, however, recommend a medication to put into the wound to
generate tissue growth as well as recommending I use an e-collar so
that he can't irritate the wound.  Because we had obligations that
took us away from home for a good part of the weekend, I asked if he
could stay with the vet until Monday afternoon.  I simply felt this
was the better option for Hobbes at that time.  They could confine him
to a smaller area than I could and make sure he was getting his
medicine as necessary and he could get used to the e-collar.  I was
very concerned about bringing him home and having to leave right away
without seeing how he reacted to the e-collar and how Sammy reacted to
Hobbes in his e-collar.  I didn't want them fighting.  Plus, at the
time I just felt like I was out of my element with this type of
wound.  It just looked so horrible and painful and I couldn't believe
I could take care of him.  I picked Hobbes up on Monday afternoon and
the wound doesn't look a lot better but I'm more prepared now to deal
with what needs to be done.  He came home with a very large e-collar
which I think was made for a d*g not a cat. I had a smaller collar
used at some time in the past which fits him well and works better.
His fructosimide levels were elevated so we're going to put him back
on insulin but at 1 unit twice per day for the moment to see if that
works.  Hopefully it won't get as bad as it had previously.

If anyone has any suggestions of ways to make eating easier for Hobbes
while wearing the e-collar I would appreciate them.  He is able to
drink water but so far he's having trouble grazing (which I guess he
really doesn't need to do anyhow, but I'll worry about diet after we
get past this crisis.).  I take the collar off of him in the morning
and twice in the evening so that he can eat but if there are any
suggestions to make it easier for him I'd like to try.

Thank you all again for the purrs and the good wishes.
Julie and Hobbes