Measurements of rectal temperature (Tre), water lost by evaporation (Eresp) and drooling, cardiac output (CO), and common carotid blood flow (CCBF) were made in dogs (mean hydrated wt 31.0 +/- 1.5 kg) running for 1 h on a level treadmill at 7.5 km/h at an ambient temperature of 25 degrees C. Each animal was studied when it was hydrated ad libitum and when it had been dehydrated by removal of drinking water until 9-10% of the initial body weight had been lost. Dehydrated exercising animals had significantly higher Tre and lower rates of Eresp, CO, and CCBF. Tre and Eresp were measured in seven animals. Average Tre during running was 39.11 +/- 0.10 degrees C in hydrated and 39.80 +/- 0.25 degrees C in dehydrated animals (P less than 0.01). Average Eresp during running was 3.9 +/- 0.3 g/min in hydrated animals and 2.3 +/- 0.3 g/min in dehydrated animals (P less than 0.01). Average CO during exercise, measured in five animals, was 11.1 +/- 0.7 1/min in the hydrated state and 8.6 +/- 0.5 1/min in the dehydrated state (P less than 0.01). Unilateral CCBF during exercise, measured in four animals, was 602 +/- 40 ml/min in the hydrated state and 418 +/- 22 ml/min in the dehydrated state (P less than 0.01). Water lost by drooling in seven exercising animals was 41.5 +/- 11 g/h when they were hydrated and 0.6 +/- 0.4 g/h when they were dehydrated. It is concluded that dehydrated dogs doing mild exercise can save water by reducing Eresp and regulating body temperature above hydrated levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)