Physiological levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP) were continuously infused 24 h/day into six dogs for periods ranging from 7 to 34 days. The acute and chronic responses of the mean arterial pressure (MAP), body fluid volumes, renal function indices, plasma electrolyte concentrations, plasma renin activity, and urinary electrolyte and water excretion rates were measured. MAP was unaffected acutely but rose significantly to a peak on day 9 before declining toward control. MAP was significantly and positively correlated with the plasma volume, but had a diphasic correlation with the plasma sodium concentration and the change in total body sodium. The plasma sodium concentration reached a relatively stable plateau that was maintained in spite of large changes in total body water. We conclude that AVP produces only a transient hypervolemic hypertension; that AVP is a natriuretic agent, either directly or indirectly, both acutely and chronically; and that chronically it is a more potent controller of the plasma sodium concentration than of the total body water except in extreme cases.