Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 44,229	$ 52,163	$ 147,745	$ 156,000
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(13,859)	(19,003)	(26,793)	(15,524)
Unrealized gain (loss) on net investment hedge	(396)		340
Unrealized loss on investments, net of tax benefit of ($60) and ($29) in 2015 and ($23) and ($19) in 2014	(88)	(37)	(81)	(32)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments:
Unrealized gain, net of tax expense of $1,030 and $2,882 in 2015 and $2,809 and $1,796 in 2014	2,495	6,204	6,793	4,027
Less: reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income, net of tax benefit (expense) of ($1,374) and ($4,079) in 2015 and ($67) and $24 in 2014	(3,369)	(205)	(9,681)	(103)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments	(874)	5,999	(2,888)	3,924
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(15,217)	(13,041)	(29,422)	(11,632)
Comprehensive income	29,012	39,122	118,323	144,368
Less: comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	6	21	16	55
Comprehensive income attributable to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.	$ 29,006	$ 39,101	$ 118,307	$ 144,313