CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 111,856	$ 102,709
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(22,206)	(1,423)
Unrealized gain on Euro-denominated notes, net of tax expense of $330 in 2020 and $466 in 2019	1,047	1,480
Unrealized (loss) gain on investments, net of tax (benefit) expense of $(89) in 2020 and $128 in 2019	(279)	407
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments:
Unrealized gain on foreign currency exchange contracts, net of tax expense of $2,052 in 2020 and $224 in 2019	9,426	1,043
Unrealized gain on cross currency swaps, net of tax expense of $869 in 2020 and $307 in 2019	4,049	1,431
Reclassification adjustment for gain included in net income, net of tax (expense) of $(240) in 2020 and $(249) in 2019	(1,101)	(1,162)
Unrealized gain on derivative instruments	12,374	1,312
Other comprehensive (loss) gain, net of tax	(9,064)	1,776
Comprehensive income	102,792	104,485
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	29	28
Comprehensive income attributable to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.	$ 102,763	$ 104,457