swollen area on rat

Question
This evening we found a grape size swollen area just under our rat's right ear. We attempted to put a warm compress on it and I applied some neosporin, should I continue this process? do you need a special type of vet for a rat or do most vets treat rats? please advise.

Answer
It may be an abscess.  I do not like it when lumps are found in this area due to zymbals gland tumor and I have been seeing alot of it lately.

Check out my webpage on tumors and scroll down to the bottom where there is a photo of a rat with a mass on the side of his face before bursting and one that had broken open. This is the area of the zymbals gland and the mass can be found up in that area or lower in the jaw.

Here is the URL to see the tumors:

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/allabouttumors.htm

As for Vets, no, not all vets see rats and in fact most vets that try  to help sometimes make matters worse. The best vet is one that sees exotics.  Let me know your location and I will happily provide you with names of vets that see rats. They are no more expensive than regular vets, by the way, but just have taken extra courses in exotics that include small mammals like our rats.