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Debt (Details) $ in Thousands, £ in Millions	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Debt (Details) $ in Thousands, £ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 GBP (£)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings						$ 7,370
Long Term Debt						3,742,781	$ 1,995,632
Total debt						3,750,151	1,995,632
Less Current Portion						7,370
Total, net of current portion						3,742,781	1,995,632
Repayments of term loan			$ 250,000	$ 531,525
Receivables Securitization Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date			December 2017
Maximum borrowing capacity						950,000
Interest rate description			prevailing market rates for short-term commercial paper or LIBOR plus a program fee of 75 basis points.
Covenant terms			The Receivables Securitization Facility contains similar covenants to the Multi-Currency Revolving Credit Facility, with which the Company was compliant as of June 30, 2015.
Ability to Increase Debt Commitment Under Accordion Feature in December and March Quarters			$ 250,000
Receivables Securitization Facility [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)			0.75%
Multi Currency Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date			August 2019
Maximum borrowing capacity						1,400,000
Interest rate description			69 basis points to 110 basis points over LIBOR/EURIBOR/Bankers Acceptance Stamping Fee
Covenant terms			The Multi-Currency Revolving Credit Facility contains covenants, including compliance with a financial leverage ratio test, as well as others that impose limitations on, among other things, indebtedness of excluded subsidiaries and asset sales, with which the Company was compliant as of June 30, 2015.
Canadian prime rate			the Canadian prime rate or the CDOR rate
Commitment fee percentage			0.10%
Debt Instrument Facility Fee Rate Effective Percentage Rate Range Minimum			0.06%
Debt Instrument Facility Fee Rate Effective Percentage Rate Range Maximum			0.15%
Multi Currency Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR / EURIBOR / Bankers Acceptance Stamping Fee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)			0.90%
Multi Currency Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR / EURIBOR / Bankers Acceptance Stamping Fee [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)			0.69%
Multi Currency Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR / EURIBOR / Bankers Acceptance Stamping Fee [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)			1.10%
Overdraft Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long Term Debt						7,370
Maximum borrowing capacity \| £					£ 20
Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount						$ 600,000
Stated percentage					1.15%	1.15%
Maturity date			May 15, 2017
Long Term Debt						$ 599,604	599,379
Senior Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount						$ 400,000
Stated percentage					4.875%	4.875%
Maturity date			2019
Long Term Debt						$ 398,371	398,122
Senior Notes Due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount						$ 500,000
Stated percentage					3.50%	3.50%
Maturity date			2021
Long Term Debt						$ 499,550	499,497
Revolving Credit Note [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity						75,000
Commercial Paper [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date			2019
Short-term borrowings						0
Maximum borrowing capacity						1,400,000
Terms of short term debt			The Company has a commercial paper program whereby it may from time to time issue short-term promissory notes in an aggregate amount of up to $1.4 billion at any one time. Amounts available under the program may be borrowed, repaid, and re-borrowed from time to time. The maturities on the notes will vary, but may not exceed 365 days from the date of issuance. The notes will bear interest rates, if interest bearing, or will be sold at a discount from their face amounts. The commercial paper program does not increase the Company's borrowing capacity as it is fully backed by the Company's Multi-Currency Revolving Credit Facility. There were no borrowings outstanding under the commercial paper program at June 30, 2015.
Senior Notes Due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount						$ 500,000
Stated percentage					3.40%	3.40%
Maturity date			May 15, 2024
Long Term Debt						$ 498,741	$ 498,634
Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long Term Debt						750,000
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 1,000,000
Term loan maturity		5 years
Quarterly principal payments 1-9		1.25%
Quarterly principal payments 10-20		2.50%
Repayments of term loan	$ 250,000
Scheduled principal payment	$ 12,500
Term Loan [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)		1.00%
Term Loan [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate LIBOR [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)		0.75%
Term Loan [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate LIBOR [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)		1.25%
Term Loan [Member] \| Base Rate [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)		0.00%
Term Loan [Member] \| Base Rate [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate spread (as a percent)		0.25%
Senior Notes Due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount		$ 500,000				$ 500,000
Stated percentage		3.25%			3.25%	3.25%
Maturity date			March 1, 2025
Long Term Debt						$ 497,437
Debt instrument issuance discount percentage		99.47%
Effective Percentage		3.31%
Senior Notes Due 2045 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount		$ 500,000				$ 500,000
Stated percentage		4.25%			4.25%	4.25%
Maturity date			March 1, 2045
Long Term Debt						$ 499,078
Debt instrument issuance discount percentage		99.81%
Effective Percentage		4.26%
MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase price		$ 2,600,000	$ 2,600,000