Need advice. Murphy is eating his tail! UPDATE

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Yesterday I noticed Murphy frantically chomping on his tail, close to his anus. I checked on him and he had chewed all the hair off his tail from his backside to about 4 inches away on the tail. It was red, raw and looked like it was about to bleed. I put him in the bath to clean him good and assess the whole bottom and his butt hole looked pretty raw as well. He was more than happy to have me take care of it and i swear he looked at me like "thank you for helping me"
I had just brushed him 2 days before and there was none of this, also, his stools are consistently firm. There was no odor at all, but it does seem that the area that would be the anal glands is puffy from the outside.
I tried to express the gland with a gloved, lubricated finger, but he did whine when I applied pressure and since I don't know how much pressure to apply, I stopped so I didn't hurt him worse. I checked both sides and there really wasn't any distinct lump or mass on either side.
(before you think..."How could she do that?", Well, I was a Labor and Delivery Nurse for many years, so I have no problem putting gloved, lubricated fingers into small areas of a body)

I have used warm compresses, baby wipes to clean him off before applying Desitin ointment and an antiseptic spray the vet gave me for a hotspot he had chewed on his paw last year, and covered it to keep him from licking it. I treated it about 4 times yesterday and 3 so far today. His temp is normal and he's not sensitive to my touching the area as I would expect if it were impacted, but I don't really know.
It looks so much better, but he still sits gingerly and wants to keep getting to it.
So my question is, what else can it be? He has never had anal gland issues, never had them expressed. He did scoot his butt a few days before on the carpet and I just thought he had a dingleberry that was bothering him, but didn't see anything and just forgot about it.
I am taking him to the Vet in the morning as I think he needs an antibiotic at least, and of course to check the glands. Has anyone had this kind of butt/tail issue and it NOT be anal gland flare ups?
UPDATE; 11:40 am
Okay, just back from Vet. The right anal gland was full and is now expressed. I have some antibiotic ointment for his tail area that he has chewed raw and he should be good as new here soon. I would never have been able to express it alone as he was very sensitive as soon as she touched the right side and that was when he jumped for me at home too. Took a bit of restraining to keep him still for the vet.
So Murph and I have had a new bonding experience today. Haven't had to go thru this yet. Good to know for future as I will know what to look for and probably still try to do myself with DH holding. Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts for poor Murph.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Sue, The scooting makes me think he needs his anal glands expressed. I am glad you are going to the Vet. Our Lab used to have to have this done occasionally.

[F, Calla & Luca]

My cousins lab had  something like this and it was infected. The dog was very elderly at that point and mostly wanted to lay outside in vegetation. Belive it or not he had maggots in the area. The vet should have a good idea if the anal glands are the culprits.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Oh gosh! Maggots???? I think I would faint if I pulled my finger out and found a maggot! I want her to be sure it is the glands before expressing though as I have read that once started, it could lead to them needing them expressed again. Anyone think this is true?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If it's done incorrectly, usually externally, it can cause the glands to become impacted. Jack had a similar problem a while back from the groomer only partially expressing the glands from the outside. The vet expressed the glands and gave us gentocin topical spray for the raw anus; no oral antibiotics needed if I remember correctly.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have read that once you start expressing the anal glands you get into a cycle of doing it too. But I don't know if it's true.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack used to have to go to vet to get his expressed but now that he is on a food that firmed his stools he has been ok...now knock wood!

[Camilla and Darwin]

No idea, but poor Murphy. :-(

Let us know what the vet says.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Yes, I will. I hope I can get him in early. I left a message on the voicemail. Murphy is being so good too and leaving it alone when we say leave it. And we haven't had him out of our sights since I found it.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Good boy Murphy! I hope it feels better soon!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Thank you. His mommy is giving him lots of TLC.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Funny, Winston started doing the same thing a couple days ago and he's done it before but I just associated it with his allergies. Maybe I should get the vet or a groomer to check his bum bum.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It can be associated with the allergies. It was for JD.