Earnings Per Share (Policy)	9 Months Ended
Earnings Per Share (Policy)	Sep. 30, 2011
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share Policy	Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and vested deferred stock units outstanding during the period. Vested deferred stock units outstanding are included in shares outstanding for basic and diluted earnings per share because the associated shares of our common stock are issuable for no cash consideration, the number of shares of our common stock to be issued is fixed and issuance is not contingent. The computation of diluted earnings per share is similar to the computation of basic earnings per share, except that the denominator is increased for the assumed exercise of dilutive options and assumed issuance of unvested restricted stock units and unvested deferred stock units using the treasury stock method, unless the effect is anti-dilutive.

Disclosure of accounting policy for computing basic and diluted earnings or loss per share for each class of common stock and participating security. Addresses all significant policy factors, including any antidilutive items that have been excluded from the computation and takes into account stock dividends, splits and reverse splits that occur after the balance sheet date of the latest reporting period but before the issuance of the financial statements.