Living in Maryland, I am aware of how nasty ticks can be. Often we find them on Reishi, our bichon frise, either crawling on his fur or feeding on his blood. We have a cool device from tickinfo.com/protickremedy.htm for removing them when attached. I have dear friends who struggle with chronic Lyme disease. They are the lucky ones, since they have a clinical diagnosis with a treatment plan including diet, nutraceuticals, and herbs.
The Bay Area Lyme Foundation is offering free qPCR DNA tick testing. Six pathogens will be detected including Borrelia burgdorferi the causative agent of Lyme disease. Results will be available in about three weeks, thus you may wish to consult with your health care provider to determine if prophylactic therapy is immediately necessary post bite.
Additional information is available at BayAreaLyme.org
http://www.bayarealyme.org/lyme-disease-prevention/tick-testing/