Florida Tick Identification Guide: Deer Tick, Brown Dog Tick, Lone Star Tick, and What Diseases They Carry

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), transmitted by the Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) and the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis), is the most medically dangerous tick-borne illness in South Florida and Florida overall. RMSF can be rapidly fatal — it causes multi-organ failure and death within days if not diagnosed and treated with doxycycline. Florida reports among the highest RMSF case counts in the United States, and the Brown Dog Tick — which lives in dog environments and can survive and reproduce indoors — is the primary transmission vehicle for South Florida's dog-owning households. Key RMSF warning signs: high fever (102°F+), severe headache, muscle aches, and a rash that typically begins on the wrists and ankles 2–5 days after symptom onset and spreads to the trunk. Early antibiotic treatment with doxycycline is essential — waiting for the rash to develop before treating can be fatal. If you develop these symptoms within 2 weeks of a known tick bite or tick exposure (especially in a dog owner household), seek medical care immediately and mention tick exposure.

Proper tick removal: (1) Use fine-tipped tweezers — grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible. Do not use your fingers. (2) Pull upward with steady, even pressure — do not twist or jerk the tick. Twisting can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. If mouthparts remain, leave them alone and let the skin heal. (3) Do not use home remedies — petroleum jelly, nail polish, heat from a match, or other folk methods can cause the tick to regurgitate infected material into the bite. Use tweezers only. (4) Clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water after removal. (5) Save the tick — place it in a sealed container or plastic bag with a small piece of moist paper towel. Date it. If you develop illness within 30 days, the tick can be identified and potentially tested for pathogens. (6) Tick ID — take a photo with your phone before disposal to help with identification. (7) Monitor for symptoms — watch for fever, rash, or flu-like symptoms for 30 days. The most important symptom to watch for (especially given South Florida's RMSF risk) is fever combined with headache within 2 weeks of a bite. If these occur: see a doctor immediately and mention the tick exposure. Do not wait for a rash. (8) For dogs — check thoroughly between toes, in ear folds, under the collar, and along the groin after any outdoor exposure. Remove ticks from dogs using the same tweezers method.

South Florida tick prevention: (1) DEET repellent — 25–30% DEET applied to skin and clothing is the most effective personal repellent for ticks as well as mosquitoes. Permethrin-treated clothing (spray or pre-treated) is highly effective — apply permethrin to hiking boots, pants, and socks before outdoor activities in tick habitats. (2) Clothing — tuck pants into socks (unfashionable but effective) when walking through tall grass, palmetto scrub, or wooded areas. Light-colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot. (3) Tick checks — perform thorough tick checks within 2 hours of returning from outdoor activity. Focus on: hair and scalp, ears, armpits, under the breasts, belly button, between the legs, behind the knees. Shower within 2 hours of outdoor activity — this washes off unattached ticks and provides an opportunity to check your body. (4) Dog prevention — use veterinarian-recommended tick prevention for dogs year-round. South Florida has year-round Brown Dog Tick activity regardless of season. Keep dogs out of tall grass and dense vegetation. (5) Professional yard treatment — our Tick Control service applies targeted perimeter treatment to yard edges, tall grass, and vegetation where ticks live and wait for hosts. This is particularly effective for properties with dogs or children who spend significant time in the yard.