Although the external carotid artery is known to contribute to the cerebral blood flow in anesthetized dogs, quantitative information on the anastomoses and their role in conscious dogs is lacking. This study was carried out to determine blood flows in these anastomoses and the internal carotid artery, and also to examine the functional significance of the anastomoses in conscious dogs. Fifteen-micron radioactive microspheres were injected into common and external carotid arteries of four conscious dogs through chronically implanted catheters. Blood flows were determined by the reference sample method and by comparing microsphere distributions in the brain and the masseter muscle. Blood flows were estimated to be 140 +/- 32, 7.7 +/- 1.4, and 3.3 +/- 1.1 ml/minute (mean +/- SD) in the common carotid artery, internal carotid artery, and anastomoses on each side, respectively. Additional evidence indicated that the anastomotic flow so determined was primarily the flow in the anastomotic artery. Humoral responses to angiotensin II infusions were also studied in conscious dogs. External carotid angiotensin increased plasma 11-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration (used as an index of ACTH secretion) but did not increase plasma vasopressin concentration to the same extent as common carotid infusion. Therefore, the external carotid artery is functionally important in perfusing the brain in conscious dogs.