CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 148,996	$ 125,701	$ 260,852	$ 228,410
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	7,006	3,104	(15,200)	1,681
Unrealized (loss) gain on Euro-denominated notes, net of tax (benefit) expense of $(532) and $(202) in 2020 and $(309) and $158 in 2019	(1,689)	(980)	(642)	500
Unrealized (loss) gain on investments, net of tax (benefit) expense of $(93) and $(181) in 2020 and $(14) and $114 in 2019	(295)	(45)	(574)	362
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments:
Unrealized gain (loss) on foreign currency exchange contracts, net of tax (benefit) expense of $(805) and $1,247 in 2020 and $(21) and $203 in 2019	(3,888)	67	5,538	1,110
Unrealized gain (loss) on cross currency swaps, net of tax expense (benefit) expense of $(283) and $586 in 2020 and $(148) and $159 in 2019	(1,447)	(563)	2,602	868
Reclassification adjustment for (gain) included in net income, net of tax (expense) of $(339) and $(579) in 2020 and $(358) and $(607) in 2019	(1,473)	(2,151)	(2,574)	(3,313)
Unrealized (loss) gain on derivative instruments	(6,808)	(2,647)	5,566	(1,335)
Other comprehensive (loss) gain, net of tax	(1,786)	(568)	(10,850)	1,208
Comprehensive income	147,210	125,133	250,002	229,618
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	56	(5)	85	23
Comprehensive income attributable to IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.	$ 147,154	$ 125,138	$ 249,917	$ 229,595