Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Unaudited quarterly results
Revenue	$ 643,081	$ 656,854	$ 653,489	$ 563,439	$ 533,720	$ 551,717	$ 548,785	$ 449,453	$ 2,516,863	$ 2,133,675	$ 1,918,483
Gross profit	134,759	156,577	163,948	136,780	117,696	137,666	140,847	113,862	592,064	510,071	444,641
Operating income	77,218	106,998	116,029	86,089	66,381	97,079	97,181	69,129	386,334	329,770	247,268
Net income	42,476	60,779	66,426	47,722	64,154	56,468	55,923	39,553	217,403	216,098	140,683
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.	$ 40,688	$ 58,231	$ 64,050	$ 46,227	$ 63,595	$ 54,854	$ 54,299	$ 38,301	$ 209,196	$ 211,049	$ 135,438
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50	$ 0.72	$ 0.79	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.68	$ 0.66	$ 0.47	$ 2.59	$ 2.59	$ 1.56
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50	$ 0.71	$ 0.78	$ 0.57	$ 0.78	$ 0.67	$ 0.65	$ 0.46	$ 2.56	$ 2.56	$ 1.54
Gain on sale of business					$ 43,300				$ 0	$ 43,306	$ 0
Gain on sale of business, net of tax					$ 26,400
Gain on sale of business, diluted (in dollars per share)					$ 0.32
Business interruption proceeds						$ 4,500			$ 0	$ 4,523	$ 0
Business interruption proceeds, net of tax						$ 2,800
Business interruption proceeds, diluted (in dollars per share)						$ 0.03