Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies	Note 2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES Significant Accounting Policies The significant accounting policies used in preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2012 are consistent with those discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, except for our revenue recognition significant accounting policies. Effective January 1, 2012, revenue from substantially all U.S. distributors is recognized upon delivery to the distributor because title and risk of loss remains with IDEXX until the product is delivered. Prior to January 1, 2012, we recognized revenue at the time of shipment to U.S. distributors because title and risk of loss passed to the distributors on delivery to the common carrier. This change did not have a material impact on our financial statements. New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for goodwill in order to simplify how companies test goodwill for impairment. The amendment permits an entity to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. The amendment is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our financial statements and we do not expect it to have a material impact on our annual goodwill impairment assessment in the fourth quarter. In June 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for presentation of comprehensive income. Under the amended guidance, an entity may present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In either case, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. For public companies, the amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and shall be applied retrospectively. Other than a change in presentation, the implementation of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our financial statements. In May 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for fair value measurement and disclosure. Among other things, the guidance expands the disclosure requirements around fair value measurements categorized in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy and requires disclosure of the level in the fair value hierarchy of items that are not measured at fair value in the statement of financial position but whose fair value must be disclosed. It also clarifies and expands upon existing requirements for measurement of the fair value of financial assets and liabilities as well as instruments classified in shareholders' equity. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our financial statements. New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In December 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for disclosure of offsetting assets and liabilities and related arrangements. The amendment expands the disclosure requirements in that entities will be required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and shall be applied retrospectively. We do not expect the adoption of this accounting pronouncement to have a material impact on our financial statements when implemented.

Note 2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Significant Accounting Policies

The significant accounting policies used in preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2012 are consistent with those discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, except for our revenue recognition significant accounting policies. Effective January 1, 2012, revenue from substantially all U.S. distributors is recognized upon delivery to the distributor because title and risk of loss remains with IDEXX until the product is delivered. Prior to January 1, 2012, we recognized revenue at the time of shipment to U.S. distributors because title and risk of loss passed to the distributors on delivery to the common carrier. This change did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for goodwill in order to simplify how companies test goodwill for impairment. The amendment permits an entity to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. The amendment is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our financial statements and we do not expect it to have a material impact on our annual goodwill impairment assessment in the fourth quarter.

In June 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for presentation of comprehensive income. Under the amended guidance, an entity may present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In either case, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. For public companies, the amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and shall be applied retrospectively. Other than a change in presentation, the implementation of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for fair value measurement and disclosure. Among other things, the guidance expands the disclosure requirements around fair value measurements categorized in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy and requires disclosure of the level in the fair value hierarchy of items that are not measured at fair value in the statement of financial position but whose fair value must be disclosed. It also clarifies and expands upon existing requirements for measurement of the fair value of financial assets and liabilities as well as instruments classified in shareholders' equity. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In December 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for disclosure of offsetting assets and liabilities and related arrangements. The amendment expands the disclosure requirements in that entities will be required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and shall be applied retrospectively. We do not expect the adoption of this accounting pronouncement to have a material impact on our financial statements when implemented.