Usually if a tick is carrying Lyme the bite area will have a ring around it that will stay for a couple of weeks. I think it is the deer tick that carries Lyme but not sure.
Other than Lyme the only other thing you would watch for is a topical infection. It doesn't sound like she has one.
Hard ticks have three different life cycles. They start out as a larva then nymph and then adult. They look a little different at each stage but basically look like a small spider at every stage. So gross!
CDC - Tick Life Cycle and Hosts - Ticks
We purchased Frontline Plus for our cats last year and the ticks seemed to love the stuff so if your ticks were dead at least what ever you are using is killing them.