Marin’s oak woodlands and grassy trails are tick country — and unlike a lot of places, ticks here are a threat all year long. The good news: with the right prevention and a quick check after each walk, ticks are very manageable. Here’s what every Marin dog owner should know.
🕷️ Which ticks live in Marin?
The one to know is the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) — the species that can carry Lyme disease in California. You may also run into the American dog tick and the brown dog tick. Ticks wait on the tips of grasses and brush along trail edges (“questing”) and grab on as your dog brushes past.
📅 When is tick season in Marin?
Effectively year-round. Ticks are active every month in Marin and Sonoma, but the western blacklegged tick’s peak runs from about January through June, and the adults stay active right through the cool, wet fall and winter. That’s why local vets recommend keeping dogs on tick prevention all twelve months — there is no real “off-season” here.
🦠 The diseases ticks carry
The best known is Lyme disease (from the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi), which has been detected in ticks throughout California, including Marin. It’s less common here than on the East Coast, but it’s real — and ticks can also transmit anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis.
Signs of tick-borne illness in dogs
Symptoms can appear days to weeks after a bite. Watch for:
- Fever and low energy or fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Lameness or shifting, painful joints (a classic Lyme sign)
- Swollen joints or lymph nodes
- Vomiting
Left untreated, these illnesses can affect the kidneys, heart and nervous system — so see your vet if your dog seems off after possible tick exposure.
🛡️ How to protect your dog
- Year-round preventive. Ask your vet for a current tick preventive (chewable, topical or collar) and use it every month — not just in summer.
- Consider the Lyme vaccine. A Lyme vaccine for dogs is available; ask whether it makes sense for your dog’s lifestyle.
- Check after every walk. A thorough tick check is your best backstop — most tick-borne diseases take hours of attachment to transmit, so prompt removal matters.
- Stay on the trail. Keep dogs out of tall grass and brushy edges where ticks quest; the center of a wide trail is safest.
- Keep the coat manageable. Tidy fur (especially around ears and paws) makes ticks easier to spot.
🔎 How to do a tick check
Run your fingers slowly through your dog’s coat, feeling for small bumps, right after every hike. Pay special attention to the spots ticks love:
- In and around the ears
- Around the eyes, muzzle and chin
- Between the toes and pads
- The armpits, groin and belly
- Under the collar and at the base of the tail
🩺 How to remove a tick safely
- Use fine-tipped tweezers (or a tick-removal tool) and grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull straight out with slow, steady pressure — don’t twist, jerk or squeeze the body.
- Don’t try to burn it off or smother it with Vaseline or nail polish — that can make things worse.
- Clean the bite area and your hands; if you can, save the tick in a sealed bag in case your vet wants to identify it.
- Note the date and watch the spot — call your vet if a rash, swelling, or any illness develops.
General information, not veterinary advice — always consult your vet. Sources: California Dept. of Public Health, Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control District, UC IPM and KQED.
Summer brings a second grassland hazard — read up on foxtail season in Marin, and find leash-friendly trails in the Marin dog hikes guide.
Andy checks every dog over after each walk and knows Marin’s trails — book a walk or in-home sitting with someone who’ll keep your pooch tick-safe.
Book a walk or sitting 🐾