Small-volume resuscitation (4 ml/kg) with hypertonic saline-dextran (HSD) has been shown effective in hemorrhagic shock. In the present study the effectiveness of an initial 4 ml/kg bolus infusion of HSD on cardiovascular function and fluid resuscitation requirements after a major burn injury was evaluated in anesthetized sheep following a 40% BSA scald burn. None hour after injury resuscitation was initiated by a rapid intravenous bolus infusion (4 ml/kg) of either hypertonic saline-dextran (7.5% NaCl in 6% dextran 70) (HSD) or the same volume of normal (isotonic) saline (NS). Lactated Ringer''s was later infused as needed to maintain cardiac output at 90% of baseline. HSD rapidly and effectively restored cardiac output and mean arterial pressure significantly better than the same volume of NS. Hemodynamic improvement by HSD was short lived, and need for further fluid therapy was only marginally delayed (HSD 38 .+-. 8 min, NS 20 .+-. 3 min; p = 0.06) (mean .+-. SEM). The total requirements for fluid therapy during the first 6 hr postburn were not reduced by the initial HSD bolus (HSD 3,145 .+-. 605 ml, NS 2,905 .+-. 495 ml; n.s.), nor was skin edema formation reduced. We conclude that in anesthetized sheep HSD resuscitation was only transiently effective in treating burn shock. This may be attributed to the sustained increase in vascular permeability and continued plasma leak following thermal injury.