A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of inhibitors of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis on renal vascular responses to several renal vasodilators in anesthetized dogs. Indomethacin (IND) and meclofenamate (MEC), two dissimilar cyclooxygenase inhibitors were used. An electromagnetic flow probe was placed on the renal artery and a needle was inserted proximal to the probe. Injections of bradykinin, histamine, nitroglycerine, and arachidonic acid (AA) were given before and after administration of IND or MEC, 2.5 mg/kg body wt. In each experiment, inhibition of PG synthesis was estimated by reduction of vasodilator activity following AA injection. Although renal vascular resistance increased slightly after IND or MEC, elevations of renal blood flow in response to injections of bradykinin and nitroglycerine were not affected by PG synthesis inhibitors, whereas percent responses to histamine were enhanced by IND but not MEC. In addition, the action of 5 mg/kg IND on responses to injections and infusions of bradykinin was evaluated. No decrease in vasodilator activity following the kinin was detected in these studies. These results demonstrate that renal vascular responses to bradykinin, histamine, and nitroglycerine were not dependent on endogenously produced products of cyclooxygenase (e.g., prostaglandins) in the kidney of the anesthetized dog.