Facial abcesses- 2nd opinions wanted after vet visit

OK, so I recently took in a paternless female as a rescue. Her body condition is fair, she has a fat tail, and is eating well, on quarantine (of course!) but otherwise doing fine. The only problem I have identified with her is that she has two visible 1/4 inch bumps, on on each side of her face. One just under the eye, which is constantly semi-closed due to this swelling, and the other farther back, just above the jaw hinge and slightly posterior to the eye. I took her to the vet already, who is supposedly an exotics specialist, but not one I have seen before. She is at the same practice as my regular vet. Anyway, she was not sure as to what may have caused these bumps, (maybe impacted salivary glands?) but says they are full of mostly solid pus material. She claims that pus in heprs is often solid. She tried and failed to drain there manually in the office, and told me that due the density of the material, a needle drain would do no good. She did put her on a course of antibiotics in the hopes that that would reduce the swelling. She one week in to a 2 week course, and I don't see any visible improvement yet. I have been quoted about $200 for the surgery to remove them. Any one out there had any experience with these sort of abcesses?