Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Details 1) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Statements of Income
Revenue	$ 418,192,000	$ 433,613,000	$ 438,372,000	$ 409,465,000	$ 368,998,000	$ 385,135,000	$ 376,105,000	$ 355,123,000	$ 1,699,642,000	$ 1,485,361,000	$ 1,381,468,000
Direct costs									1,324,668,000	1,146,904,000	1,050,304,000
Gross profit	81,807,000	99,181,000	100,607,000	93,379,000	71,710,000	90,137,000	96,832,000	79,778,000	374,974,000	338,457,000	331,164,000
Selling, general and administrative expense									157,155,000	121,112,000	123,541,000
Loss on sale of assets									(1,310,000)	(382,000)	(374,000)
Operating income	(83,553,000)	61,186,000	61,498,000	53,805,000	14,197,000	57,841,000	70,109,000	53,506,000	92,936,000	195,653,000	207,249,000
Income before provision for income taxes									82,591,000	175,887,000	192,260,000
Provision for income taxes									31,875,000	76,027,000	78,102,000
Net income	(57,025,000)	35,642,000	35,778,000	36,321,000	(2,060,000)	31,359,000	40,065,000	30,496,000	50,716,000	99,860,000	114,158,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									5,165,000	4,455,000	3,915,000
Net income attributable to VCA Antech, Inc.	(58,051,000)	34,037,000	34,320,000	35,245,000	(3,215,000)	30,169,000	39,612,000	28,839,000	45,551,000	95,405,000	110,243,000
Parent [Member]
Condensed Statements of Income
Revenue									0	0	0
Direct costs									0	0	0
Gross profit									0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expense									0	0	0
Loss on sale of assets									0	0	0
Operating income									0	0	0
Interest income, net									0	0	0
Equity interest in income of subsidiaries									45,551,000	95,405,000	110,243,000
Income before provision for income taxes									45,551,000	95,405,000	110,243,000
Provision for income taxes									0	0	0
Net income									45,551,000	95,405,000	110,243,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to VCA Antech, Inc.									$ 45,551,000	$ 95,405,000	$ 110,243,000