Lump on rats neck

Question
Hello-
   One of my pet rats is a male who's about a year old.  When he was around 6 months old he got a lump on his neck.  The vet gave him antibiotics and it went away.  This happened again a few months later, it was treated, and it went away.  It has come back again, but it's lower and a little to one side.  Treatment  with antibiotics has not helped.  He has another appointment today to decide whether the lump should be removed surgically.  Do you think that surgery is the best option?

Answer
Antibiotics treated it, so that indicates to me it was probably an abscess the last two times and this time since antibiotics haven't helped it may be a tumor (or a VERY persistent abscess). Usually surgery is the best option, especially if you've caught it early, but that depends on the size and type of lump and your rat's overall health. If he's healthy and otherwise happy, surgery is probably very wise. If he already has LOADS of health problems and is sitting on a banana peel, it may not be in his best interest.