Endotoxin causes shock accompanied by compensatory changes such as redistribution of cardiac output and increased oxygen extraction. We studied these effects in anaesthetised dogs (etomidate: 4 mg X kg-1 X h-1, n = 14) randomly assigned to a control (n = 6) and a shock group (endotoxin 1.5 mg X kg-1; n = 8). We measured left ventricular pressure, LVEDP and LVdP/dt (Millar microtip), mean systemic, central venous and pulmonary artery pressure (Statham P23Db), cardiac output (thermodilution), organ flow (microspheres, 15 micron, 5 labels), bloodgases (PO2, PCO2), pH and lactate. All measurements were performed before and at 60, 90, 120 and 150 min after endotoxin or saline. Sixty minutes after endotoxin mean systemic pressure, LVdP/dt and cardiac output had decreased (by 60, 50 and 35%), while heart rate had increased (by 30%). Arterial PO2 was lower after endotoxin (-29%), haematocrit and mixed venous PCO2 were higher (+16 and +38%) and arterial pH had decreased from 7.34 to 7.14. After endotoxin perfusion of heart and adrenals did not change but muscle perfusion increased (by 33% at t = 90). Endotoxin caused vasoconstriction in spleen and kidneys: the percentage of cardiac output to these organs thus decreased (by 50 and 69%). Sixty minutes after endotoxin we found vasodilatation in the hepatic arterial, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal beds. Later the percentage of cardiac output to these beds decreased. Systemic arterio-venous shunting fell (from 6.5 to 0.7%). Systemic and splanchnic oxygen extraction increased (by 66 and 71% at t = 60): oxygen consumption hardly changed; 60 min after endotoxin it tended to decrease. During shock serum lactate rose (by 167% at t = 60) before oxygen consumption fell. Myocardial oxygen consumption did not alter during shock but the tension time index decreased.