Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 56,452	$ 44,229	$ 169,683	$ 147,745
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	1,687	(13,859)	10,873	(26,793)
Unrealized (loss) gain on net investment hedge	(732)	(396)	(1,649)	340
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax expense of $19 and $134 in 2016 and( $60) and ($29) in 2015	9	(88)	334	(81)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments:
Unrealized (loss) gain, net of tax (benefit) expense of ($57) and ($694) in 2016 and $1,030 and $2,882 in 2015	(129)	2,495	(1,570)	6,793
Less: reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income, net of tax expense of ($198) and ($313) in 2016 and ($1,374) and ($4,079) in 2015	(451)	(3,369)	(804)	(9,681)
Unrealized loss on derivative instruments	(580)	(874)	(2,374)	(2,888)
Other comprehensive gain (loss), net of tax	384	(15,217)	7,184	(29,422)
Comprehensive income	56,836	29,012	176,867	118,323
Less: comprehensive (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3)	6	7	16
Comprehensive income attributable to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.	$ 56,839	$ 29,006	$ 176,860	$ 118,307