Noncontrolling Interest, Number Of Shares Owned By Parent

No definition available.

Name:	elan_NoncontrollingInterestNumberOfSharesOwnedByParent
Namespace Prefix:	elan_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of shares issued or sold by the subsidiary or equity method investee per stock transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockNumberOfSharesIssuedInTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Ratio applied to the conversion of stock split, for example but not limited to, one share converted to two or two shares converted to one.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 4.C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187143-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteStockSplitConversionRatio1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis=us-gaap_IPOMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_OwnershipAxis=elan_ElancoAnimalHealthIncorporatedAndSubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=elan_EliLillyandCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Earnings Per Share (Details)			3 Months Ended
Earnings Per Share (Details)	Sep. 24, 2018 shares	Sep. 19, 2018	Mar. 31, 2019 shares	Sep. 18, 2018 shares	Dec. 31, 2017 shares
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Stock split ratio		2,932,900
Antidilutive shares not included in calculating diluted earnings per share			200,000
IPO
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Number of shares issued	72,335,000
Elanco \| Lilly
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Common shares outstanding				100	293,290,000