Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)		0 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		24 Months Ended				0 Months Ended							0 Months Ended
	Aug. 02, 2011 Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement	Dec. 31, 2012 Eagle Pure Water Systems, Inc. item	Dec. 31, 2012 Eagle Pure Water Systems, Inc. Customer relationships	Dec. 31, 2012 Eagle Pure Water Systems, Inc. Brand name	Dec. 31, 2012 Eagle Pure Water Systems, Inc. Non-compete agreements	Nov. 13, 2012 Polyp Trap	Apr. 30, 2013 SPS Medical Supply Corp	Apr. 30, 2013 SPS Medical Supply Corp	Mar. 22, 2013 Mar Cor subsidiary Siemens' Hemodialysis Water Business	Mar. 22, 2013 Mar Cor subsidiary Siemens' Hemodialysis Water Business Minimum item	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI item	Dec. 31, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Jul. 31, 2012 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Jul. 31, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Jul. 31, 2012 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Apr. 30, 2013 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Jan. 31, 2013 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Jul. 29, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Customer relationships	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Brand name	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Technology	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Non-compete agreements	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Minimum	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Maximum	Aug. 02, 2011 Medivators subsidiary BMI Purchase of land and buildings from Byrne Investments LLC	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS Medical Supply Corp. and SPS manufacturing and warehouse facility item	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS Medical Supply Corp. and SPS manufacturing and warehouse facility Customer relationships	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS Medical Supply Corp. and SPS manufacturing and warehouse facility Brand name	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS Medical Supply Corp. and SPS manufacturing and warehouse facility Technology	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS Medical Supply Corp. and SPS manufacturing and warehouse facility Non-compete agreements	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS Medical Supply Corp	Nov. 03, 2012 Crosstex subsidiary SPS manufacturing and warehouse facility in Rochester, New York
Acquisitions
Number of dialysis customers										600
Revenues generated by acquiree in latest fiscal year before the business acquisition		$ 500,000							$ 9,000,000																						$ 17,500,000
Transaction costs									226,000																						157,000
Total consideration for the transaction, excluding transaction costs									8,300,000																						32,500,000
Purchase price																									5,900,000
Estimated acquisition-related costs													626,000	473,000	1,099,000
Aggregate purchase price												99,361,000
Reduction in goodwill resulting from net asset value adjustment												639,000
Portion of purchase price paid in cash												89,361,000
Portion of purchase price paid in shares											10,000,000
Price floor period											3 years
Stock split ratio											1.5
Stock consideration (in shares)											601,685
Closing share price of Cantel to determine stock consideration (in dollars per share)																		$ 16.62
Potential cash contingent consideration payable											10,000,000
Period over which potential cash contingent consideration is payable											2 years
Contingent consideration											2,700,000		1,500,000		1,500,000		0
Aggregate value of the stock consideration threshold											10,000,000
Lock-up period prohibiting sellers from trading Cantel common stock																							3 years	4 years
Fair value of shares											7,640,000
Portion of fair value of shares determined as stock-based compensation expense											330,000
Components of the purchase price
Cash (including purchase of buildings)											95,261,000
Fair value of the multi-year lock-up of Cantel common stock											7,310,000
Consideration for the transaction		870,000				486,000					102,571,000																					3,500,000
Price floor											3,000,000
Price floor liability													1,037,000		1,037,000	255,000
Contingent consideration											2,700,000
Total purchase price recorded											108,271,000
Credit facility entered in conjunction with the acquisition and impending expiration of existing credit facility	150,000,000
Net Assets
Accounts receivable											4,303,000
Inventory											4,581,000
Other assets											588,000
Current assets		8,000																								5,077,000
Property, plant and equipment		70,000									10,074,000															3,801,000
Amortizable intangible assets			150,000	18,000	32,000														25,300,000	2,200,000	11,900,000	2,000,000					8,120,000	760,000	500,000	180,000
Other assets, Noncurrent											105,000															28,000
Current liabilities		(5,000)									(2,277,000)															(2,784,000)
Noncurrent deferred income tax liabilities, net																										(3,659,000)
Other liabilities											(85,000)
Net assets acquired		273,000									58,689,000															12,023,000
Amortizable intangible assets, useful life		3 years	3 years	3 years	5 years						13 years								15 years	10 years	8 years	14 years				9 years	10 years	5 years	4 years	6 years
Number of in-process research and development projects acquired		0									0															0
Goodwill deductible for income tax purposes		597,000									49,582,000
Goodwill																										23,977,000
Contribution to net sales from acquisition							$ 4,687,000	$ 9,349,000
Period for income tax deduction											15 years