Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Statements of Income
Revenue	$ 479,927	$ 499,577	$ 489,472	$ 449,507	$ 435,453	$ 464,055	$ 465,255	$ 438,606	$ 1,918,483		$ 1,803,369		$ 1,699,642
Direct costs									1,473,842		1,393,989		1,324,668
Gross profit	99,018	123,757	120,415	101,451	87,486	110,677	114,294	96,923	444,641		409,380		374,974
Selling, general and administrative expense									171,506		157,911		157,155
Loss on sale of assets									1,152		(2,455)		(1,310)
Operating income	52,654	53,476	79,906	61,232	45,923	72,039	75,701	55,351	247,268		249,014		92,936
Income before provision for income taxes									227,561		230,375		82,591
Provision for income taxes									86,878		87,453		31,875
Net income	29,909	28,951	46,908	34,915	25,728	41,911	43,460	31,823	140,683	[1]	142,922	[1]	50,716	[1]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									5,245		5,411		5,165
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.	28,359	27,452	45,584	34,043	24,717	40,647	41,662	30,485	135,438		137,511		45,551
Parent Company [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									135,438		137,511		45,551
Income before provision for income taxes									135,438		137,511		45,551
Provision for income taxes									0		0		0
Net income									135,438		137,511		45,551
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0		0		0
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.									$ 135,438		$ 137,511		$ 45,551

[1] Includes $2.4 million, $3.3 million and $2.5 million for 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests.