Segment Reporting (Summary Of Segment Performance) (Details) - USD ($) $ 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
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 442,996	$ 448,308	$ 466,569	$ 417,550	$ 399,685	$ 406,387	$ 413,343	$ 382,477	$ 1,775,423	$ 1,601,892	$ 1,485,807
Income (loss) from operations	83,825	88,459	104,162	73,793	66,911	71,895	88,303	72,803	350,239	299,912	260,255
Interest expense, net									(28,393)	(26,771)	(13,700)
Income before provision for income taxes									321,846	273,141	246,555
Provision for income taxes									99,792	81,006	64,604
Net income									222,054	192,135	181,951
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									9	57	45
Net income attributable to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. stockholders	$ 52,369	$ 56,455	$ 67,202	$ 46,019	$ 44,349	$ 44,223	$ 56,912	$ 46,594	222,045	192,078	181,906
Depreciation and amortization									78,218	68,956	58,888
Expenditures for long-lived assets									64,787	82,921	60,523
CAG Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,522,689	1,356,287	1,223,064
Income (loss) from operations									301,342	233,319	200,534
Depreciation and amortization									64,878	60,715	48,740
Expenditures for long-lived assets									56,329	69,371	49,270
Water Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									103,579	96,884	94,725
Income (loss) from operations									45,702	44,752	38,914
Depreciation and amortization									3,098	3,188	2,553
Expenditures for long-lived assets									2,102	2,781	2,499
LPD Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									126,491	127,143	141,179
Income (loss) from operations									18,914	27,157	29,327
Depreciation and amortization									5,543	4,367	5,144
Expenditures for long-lived assets									4,824	9,110	4,025
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									22,664	21,578	26,839
Income (loss) from operations									884	(137)	2,657
Depreciation and amortization									4,699	686	2,451
Expenditures for long-lived assets									1,532	1,659	4,729
Unallocated Amounts [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income (loss) from operations									$ (16,603)	$ (5,179)	$ (11,177)