Calculation of Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Calculation of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.	$ 46,227	$ 38,301
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	80,776	82,347
Effect of dilutive potential common shares:
Stock options (in shares)	284	340
Non-vested shares and units (in shares)	463	686
Diluted (in shares)	81,523	83,373
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.57	$ 0.47
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.57	$ 0.46
Calculation of Earnings per Share (Textuals) [Abstract]
Potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share (in shares)	40,193	77,186