Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

The following table presents the changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015 (in thousands):



	Animal Hospital			Laboratory			All Other			Total
Balance as of December 31, 2014
Goodwill	$	1,305,558		$	97,535		$	142,825		$	1,545,918
Accumulated impairment losses	—			—			(130,057		)	(130,057		)
Subtotal	1,305,558			97,535			12,768			1,415,861
Goodwill acquired	13,563			21,000			255			34,818
Foreign translation adjustment	(10,981		)	(47		)	—			(11,028		)
Other ⁽¹⁾	(49		)	(4		)	—			(53		)
Balance as of March 31, 2015
Goodwill	1,308,091			118,484			143,080			1,569,655
Accumulated impairment losses	—			—			(130,057		)	(130,057		)
Subtotal	$	1,308,091		$	118,484		$	13,023		$	1,439,598

____________________________


⁽¹⁾	"Other" primarily includes measurement period adjustments, a partnership buyout and a write-off related to the sale of an animal hospital.

Other Intangible Assets

Our acquisition related amortizable intangible assets at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):



	As of March 31, 2015							As of December 31, 2014
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
Non-contractual customer relationships	$	99,522	$	(47,541	)	$	51,981	$	101,056	$	(45,295	)	$	55,761
Covenants not-to-compete	10,260		(4,656		)	5,604		10,093		(4,422		)	5,671
Favorable lease assets	9,467		(5,078		)	4,389		9,576		(4,962		)	4,614
Trademarks	12,306		(3,622		)	8,684		13,503		(4,015		)	9,488
Contracts	100		(19		)	81		100		(11		)	89
Technology	1,627		(499		)	1,128		1,627		(414		)	1,213
Franchise rights	11,730		(684		)	11,046		11,730		(391		)	11,339
Total	$	145,012	$	(62,099	)	$	82,913	$	147,685	$	(59,510	)	$	88,175

Estimated amortization expense related to intangible assets

The following table summarizes our aggregate amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2015		2014
Aggregate amortization expense	$	5,526	$	5,147

The estimated amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets for the remainder of 2015 and each of the succeeding years thereafter, as of March 31, 2015, is as follows (in thousands):



Finite-lived intangible assets:
Remainder of 2015	$	16,156
2016	18,936
2017	13,102
2018	9,773
2019	6,770
Thereafter	17,136
Total	$	81,873
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trademarks	1,040
Total intangible assets	$	82,913

Estimated amortization expense related to indefinite intangible assets



Finite-lived intangible assets:
Remainder of 2015	$	16,156
2016	18,936
2017	13,102
2018	9,773
2019	6,770
Thereafter	17,136
Total	$	81,873
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trademarks	1,040
Total intangible assets	$	82,913