Condensed, Consolidated Income Statements (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 548,785	$ 489,472	$ 1,048,238	$ 938,979
Direct costs		407,938	369,057	793,529	717,113
Gross profit		140,847	120,415	254,709	221,866
Selling, general and administrative expense		44,485	39,931	88,883	81,371
Net (gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets		(819)	578	(484)	(643)
Operating income (loss)		97,181	79,906	166,310	141,138
Interest expense, net		5,104	4,030	9,941	8,197
Other (income) expense		(37)	43	29	(10)
Income before provision for income taxes		92,114	75,833	156,340	132,951
Provision for income taxes		36,191	28,925	60,864	51,128
Net income	[1]	55,923	46,908	95,476	81,823
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		1,624	1,324	2,876	2,196
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.		$ 54,299	$ 45,584	$ 92,600	$ 79,627
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.66	$ 0.52	$ 1.13	$ 0.90
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.65	$ 0.51	$ 1.11	$ 0.89
Weighted-average shares outstanding for basic earnings per share (in shares)		81,956	88,041	82,150	88,188
Weighted-average shares outstanding for diluted earnings per share (in shares)		83,084	89,191	83,227	89,312

[1] Includes approximately $1.6 million and $1.2 million of net income related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.