This study evaluated the cardiorespiratory stability of six dose-regulated, 12-hour, chloralose anesthetic maintenance protocols. Thirty mongrel dogs were premedicated with morphine sulfate (5mg/kg) and anesthetized with an induction dose of chloralose (80mg/kg). Fifteen animals were permitted to breathe spontaneously and 15 animals were ventilated mechanically to maintain a constant arterial pCO2 (40 +/- 5 mmHg). The spontaneously breathing dogs were separated into three groups in which animals (n = 5) were given different bolus doses of supplemental anesthetic. Initially the spontaneously breathing animals were hypoxemic, acidemic and hypercapnic. No consistent hemodynamic difference was noted among these groups. The mechanically ventilated animals were also divided into three groups that received varying doses of supplemental chloralose by constant infusion. Significant (p less than 0.01) myocardial depression was noted in the heavy-dosed animals by the third hour. Systolic pressure decreased 44%, pulse pressure decreased 37% and peak left ventricular dP/dt decreased 52%. All heavy-dosed animals expired before the eighth hour. Although these data suggest that morphine-premedicated, chloralose-anesthetized animals generally provide a stable cardiopulmonary model, high-dose chloralose supplementation depressed ventilation and produced a dose-dependent cardiotoxicity.