Vca 10-Q 6 Nov 15 2015 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Nov. 02, 2015
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	VCA INC.
Entity Central Index Key	817,366
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2015
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		80,641,801

Condensed, Consolidated Balance

Condensed, Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 74,992	$ 81,383
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for uncollectible accounts of $22,065 and $19,846 at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively	74,654	60,482
Inventory	51,597	56,050
Prepaid expenses and other	30,827	36,924
Deferred income taxes	30,329	30,331
Prepaid income taxes	0	18,277
Total current assets	262,399	283,447
Property and equipment, net	492,532	468,041
Goodwill	1,489,843	1,415,861
Other intangible assets, net	100,939	88,175
Notes receivable	2,345	2,807
Deferred financing costs, net	6,568	7,874
Other	76,564	65,815
Total assets	2,431,190	2,332,020
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	34,043	19,356
Accounts payable	45,512	46,284
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	82,966	64,359
Income tax payable	1,827	0
Other accrued liabilities	75,179	67,219
Total current liabilities	239,527	197,218
Long-term debt, less current portion	847,112	775,412
Deferred income taxes	104,425	103,502
Other liabilities	31,969	33,190
Total liabilities	$ 1,223,033	$ 1,109,322
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 11,273	$ 11,077
Preferred stock, par value $0.001, 11,000 shares authorized, none outstanding	0	0
VCA Inc. stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, par value $0.001, 175,000 shares authorized, 80,567 and 82,937 shares outstanding as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively	81	83
Additional paid-in capital	16,135	155,802
Retained earnings	1,211,612	1,064,158
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(43,909)	(19,397)
Total VCA Inc. stockholders’ equity	1,183,919	1,200,646
Noncontrolling interests	12,965	10,975
Total equity	1,196,884	1,211,621
Total liabilities and equity	$ 2,431,190	$ 2,332,020

Condensed, Consolidated Balanc3

Condensed, Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Allowance for uncollectible accounts	$ 22,065	$ 19,846
Liabilities and Equity
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized	11,000,000	11,000,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
VCA Inc. stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized	175,000,000	175,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	80,567,000	82,937,000

Condensed, Consolidated Income

Condensed, Consolidated Income Statements (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 551,717	$ 499,577	$ 1,599,955	$ 1,438,556
Direct costs		414,051	375,820	1,207,580	1,092,933
Gross profit		137,666	123,757	392,375	345,623
Selling, general and administrative expense		44,860	42,792	133,743	124,163
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		0	27,019	0	27,019
Business interruption insurance gain		(4,523)	0	(4,523)	0
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets		250	470	(234)	(173)
Operating income (loss)		97,079	53,476	263,389	194,614
Interest expense, net		5,455	4,367	15,396	12,564
Debt retirement costs		0	1,709	0	1,709
Other expense		59	188	88	178
Income before provision for income taxes		91,565	47,212	247,905	180,163
Provision for income taxes		35,097	18,261	95,961	69,389
Net income	[1]	56,468	28,951	151,944	110,774
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		1,614	1,499	4,490	3,695
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.		$ 54,854	$ 27,452	$ 147,454	$ 107,079
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.68	$ 0.32	$ 1.80	$ 1.22
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.67	$ 0.31	$ 1.78	$ 1.21
Weighted-average shares outstanding for basic earnings per share (in shares)		80,815	86,274	81,700	87,543
Weighted-average shares outstanding for diluted earnings per share (in shares)		81,795	87,360	82,744	88,665
[1]	Includes approximately $2.5 million and $1.9 million of net income related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Condensed, Consolidated Stateme

Condensed, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	[1]	$ 56,468	$ 28,951	$ 151,944	$ 110,774
Other comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments		(14,005)	(6,207)	(25,274)	(6,919)
Other comprehensive loss		(14,005)	(6,207)	(25,274)	(6,919)
Total comprehensive income		42,463	22,744	126,670	103,855
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	[1]	1,187	1,021	3,728	3,167
Comprehensive income attributable to VCA Inc.		$ 41,276	$ 21,723	$ 122,942	$ 100,688
[1]	Includes approximately $2.5 million and $1.9 million of net income related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Condensed, Consolidated Statem6

Condensed, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 2.5	$ 1.9

Condensed, Consolidated Statem7

Condensed, Consolidated Statements of Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2013		88,508
Beginning Balances at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,317,616	$ 89	$ 384,797	$ 928,720	$ (6,190)	$ 10,200
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (excludes $1,392 and $1,088 related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests as of September 30, 2015 and $723 and $1,172 as of September 30, 2014)	108,879			107,079		1,800
Other comprehensive loss (excludes $338 and $358 as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests)	(6,561)				(6,391)	(170)
Formation of noncontrolling interests	933					933
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(1,627)					(1,627)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	29		29
Share-based compensation	12,234		12,234
Issuance of common stock under stock incentive plans, shares		614
Issuance of common stock under stock incentive plans	926		926
Stock repurchases, shares		(3,830)
Stock repurchases	(139,910)	$ (4)	(139,906)
Excess tax benefit from stock based compensation	3,808		3,808
Ending Balances, shares at Sep. 30, 2014		85,292
Ending Balances at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 1,296,327	$ 85	261,888	1,035,799	(12,581)	11,136
Beginning Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2014	82,937	82,937
Beginning Balances at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,211,621	$ 83	155,802	1,064,158	(19,397)	10,975
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (excludes $1,392 and $1,088 related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests as of September 30, 2015 and $723 and $1,172 as of September 30, 2014)	149,464			147,454		2,010
Other comprehensive loss (excludes $338 and $358 as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests)	(24,936)				(24,512)	(424)
Formation of noncontrolling interests	2,661					2,661
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(1,784)					(1,784)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(690)		(217)			(473)
Share-based compensation	12,086		12,086
Issuance of common stock under stock incentive plans, shares		633
Issuance of common stock under stock incentive plans	1,571	$ 1	1,570
Stock repurchases, shares		(3,003)
Stock repurchases	(161,117)	$ (3)	(161,114)
Excess tax benefit from stock based compensation	$ 8,008		8,008
Ending Balances, shares at Sep. 30, 2015	80,567	80,567
Ending Balances at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 1,196,884	$ 81	$ 16,135	$ 1,211,612	$ (43,909)	$ 12,965

Condensed, Consolidated Statem8

Condensed, Consolidated Statements of Equity (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 1,392	$ 723
Mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,088	1,172
Other comprehensive loss related to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 338	$ 358

Condensed, Consolidated Statem9

Condensed, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	[1]	$ 151,944	$ 110,774
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		0	27,019
Depreciation and amortization		60,634	59,659
Amortization of debt issue costs		1,306	957
Provision for uncollectible accounts		6,723	4,388
Debt retirement costs		0	1,709
Net gain on sale or disposal of assets		(234)	(173)
Share-based compensation		12,086	12,234
Excess tax benefits from stock based compensation		(8,008)	(3,808)
Other		(431)	381
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable		(20,568)	(9,678)
Inventory, prepaid expenses and other assets		(931)	(8,233)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities		(2,451)	2,920
Accrued payroll and related liabilities		18,892	14,761
Income taxes		28,054	12,137
Net cash provided by operating activities		247,016	225,047
Cash flows from investing activities:
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(119,336)	(65,415)
Property and equipment additions		(61,470)	(50,093)
Proceeds from sale or disposal of assets		6,469	4,464
Other		(434)	(202)
Net cash used in investing activities		(174,771)	(111,246)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of long-term obligations		(20,174)	(563,976)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term obligations		0	600,000
Proceeds from revolving credit facility		97,000	0
Payment of financing costs		0	(7,987)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest partners		(3,810)	(3,577)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(1,493)	(326)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under stock incentive plans		1,571	926
Excess tax benefits from stock based compensation		8,008	3,808
Stock repurchases		(161,117)	(139,910)
Other		2,210	(838)
Net cash used in financing activities		(77,805)	(111,880)
Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(831)	(443)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents		(6,391)	1,478
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		81,383	125,029
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		74,992	126,507
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Interest paid		13,674	10,633
Income taxes paid		67,814	57,108
Detail of acquisitions:
Fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed		138,160	79,979
Fair value of pre-existing investment		0	(2,014)
Noncontrolling interest		0	(1,705)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of acquired cash		(119,336)	(65,415)
Assumed debt		(12,402)	(4,483)
Contingent consideration		(476)	(2,531)
Holdbacks		(4,497)	(2,900)
Liabilities assumed		$ 1,449	$ 931
[1]	Includes approximately $2.5 million and $1.9 million of net income related to redeemable and mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Operations	Nature of Operations Our company, VCA Inc. (“VCA”) is a Delaware corporation formed in 1986 and is based in Los Angeles, California. We are an animal healthcare company with the following five operating segments: Animal Hospital, Laboratory, Medical Technology, Vetstreet and Camp Bow Wow. Our operating segments are aggregated into two reportable segments: Animal Hospital and Laboratory. Our Medical Technology, Vetstreet and Camp Bow Wow operating segments are combined in our All Other category. See Footnote 8, Lines of Business within these notes to unaudited condensed, consolidated financial statements. Our animal hospitals offer a full range of general medical and surgical services for companion animals. Our animal hospitals treat diseases and injuries, provide pharmaceutical products and perform a variety of pet-wellness programs, including health examinations, diagnostic testing, vaccinations, spaying, neutering and dental care. At September 30, 2015 , we operated or managed 674 animal hospitals throughout 41 states and four Canadian provinces. We operate a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory network serving all 50 states and certain areas in Canada. Our laboratory network provides sophisticated testing and consulting services used by veterinarians in the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, treatment and prevention of diseases and other conditions affecting animals. At September 30, 2015 , we operated 59 laboratories of various sizes located strategically throughout the United States and Canada. Our Medical Technology business sells digital radiography and ultrasound imaging equipment, provides education and training on the use of that equipment, provides consulting and mobile imaging services, and sells software and ancillary services to the veterinary market. Our Vetstreet business provides several different services to the veterinary community including, online communications, professional education, marketing solutions and a home delivery platform for independent animal hospitals. Our Camp Bow Wow business franchises a premier provider of pet services including dog day care, overnight boarding, grooming and other ancillary services at specially designed pet care facilities, principally under the service mark Camp Bow Wow ® . As of September 30, 2015 , there were 128 Camp Bow Wow® franchise locations operating in 35 states and one Canadian province. The practice of veterinary medicine is subject to seasonal fluctuation. In particular, demand for veterinary services is significantly higher during the warmer months because pets spend a greater amount of time outdoors where they are more likely to be injured and are more susceptible to disease and parasites. In addition, use of veterinary services may be affected by levels of flea infestation, heartworms and ticks, and the number of daylight hours.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Our accompanying unaudited, condensed, consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the disclosures required by GAAP for annual financial statements as permitted under applicable rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2015 . For further information, refer to our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The preparation of our condensed, consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our condensed, consolidated financial statements and notes thereto. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived A

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets	Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets Goodwill The following table presents the changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 (in thousands): Animal Hospital Laboratory All Other Total Balance as of December 31, 2014 Goodwill $ 1,305,558 $ 97,535 $ 142,825 $ 1,545,918 Accumulated impairment losses — — (130,057 ) (130,057 ) Subtotal 1,305,558 97,535 12,768 1,415,861 Goodwill acquired 89,473 4,172 255 93,900 Foreign translation adjustment (18,157 ) (71 ) — (18,228 ) Other (1) (1,686 ) (4 ) — (1,690 ) Balance as of September 30, 2015 Goodwill 1,375,188 101,632 143,080 1,619,900 Accumulated impairment losses — — (130,057 ) (130,057 ) Subtotal $ 1,375,188 $ 101,632 $ 13,023 $ 1,489,843 ____________________________ (1) "Other" primarily includes write-offs related to the sale of three animal hospitals partially offset by measurement period adjustments. Other Intangible Assets Our acquisition related amortizable intangible assets at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands): As of September 30, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Gross Carrying Amount Accumulated Amortization Net Carrying Amount Gross Carrying Amount Accumulated Amortization Net Carrying Amount Non-contractual customer relationships $ 117,689 $ (48,249 ) $ 69,440 $ 101,056 $ (45,295 ) $ 55,761 Covenants not-to-compete 12,163 (4,818 ) 7,345 10,093 (4,422 ) 5,671 Favorable lease assets 9,451 (5,330 ) 4,121 9,576 (4,962 ) 4,614 Trademarks 12,691 (4,138 ) 8,553 13,503 (4,015 ) 9,488 Contracts 100 (36 ) 64 100 (11 ) 89 Technology 1,627 (670 ) 957 1,627 (414 ) 1,213 Franchise rights 11,730 (1,271 ) 10,459 11,730 (391 ) 11,339 Total $ 165,451 $ (64,512 ) $ 100,939 $ 147,685 $ (59,510 ) $ 88,175 3. Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets, continued The following table summarizes our aggregate amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets (in thousands): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 2015 2014 Aggregate amortization expense $ 5,811 $ 5,231 $ 17,195 $ 15,605 The estimated amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets for the remainder of 2015 and each of the succeeding years thereafter, as of September 30, 2015 , is as follows (in thousands): Finite-lived intangible assets: Remainder of 2015 $ 6,092 2016 22,584 2017 16,816 2018 13,421 2019 10,363 Thereafter 30,623 Total $ 99,899 Indefinite-lived intangible assets: Trademarks 1,040 Total intangible assets $ 100,939

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions The table below reflects the activity related to the acquisitions and dispositions of our animal hospitals and laboratories during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 , respectively: Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 Animal Hospitals: Acquisitions 42 23 Acquisitions, merged (4 ) (4 ) Sold, closed or merged (7 ) (6 ) Net increase 31 13 Laboratories: Acquisitions 1 — Acquisitions, merged (1 ) — New facilities — 3 Net increase — 3 4. Acquisitions, continued Animal Hospital and Laboratory Acquisitions The purchase price allocations for some of the 2015 animal hospital acquisitions included in the table below are preliminary; however, adjustments, if any, are not expected to be material. The measurement periods for purchase price allocations do not exceed 12 months from the acquisition date. The following table summarizes the aggregate consideration for our independent animal hospitals and the Abaxis Veterinary Reference Laboratory ("AVRL") acquired during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, (in thousands): Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 Consideration: Cash, net of cash acquired $ 119,036 $ 46,948 Assumed debt 12,402 4,160 Holdbacks 4,497 1,400 Earn-outs 476 721 Fair value of total consideration transferred $ 136,411 $ 53,229 Allocation of the Purchase Price: Tangible assets $ 10,060 $ 2,317 Identifiable intangible assets (1) 34,130 8,176 Goodwill (2) 93,645 46,502 Other liabilities assumed (1,424 ) (47 ) Fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed $ 136,411 $ 56,948 Noncontrolling interest — (1,705 ) Fair value of pre-existing investment — (2,014 ) Total $ 136,411 $ 53,229 ____________________________ (1) Identifiable intangible assets include customer relationships, trademarks and covenants-not-to-compete. The weighted-average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately twelve years . The weighted-average amortization period for customer relationships, trademarks and covenants is approximately thirteen years , nine years and five years , respectively. (2) We expect that $73.8 million and $36.6 million of the goodwill recorded for these acquisitions, as of September 30, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, will be fully deductible for income tax purposes. Included in the table above is Antech Diagnostics, Inc.'s March 31, 2015 acquisition of AVRL for total consideration of $21.0 million . At the time of the acquisition, we allocated the full purchase price of AVRL to goodwill. During the quarter ended June 30, 2015, the fair market value of identifiable intangible assets was finalized which resulted in a reclassification of the majority of the goodwill to these identifiable intangible assets. Of the goodwill recorded, $15.3 million was reclassified as customer relationships with an amortization period of 20 years . The purchase price allocation is pending the finalization of fixed asset valuations. 4. Acquisitions, continued Camp Bow Wow On August 15, 2014, we acquired 100% of D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC for $17.0 million in cash and contingent consideration of up to $3.0 million that may be earned over the next three years . Camp Bow Wow primarily franchises a premier provider of pet services including dog day care, overnight boarding, grooming and other ancillary services at specially designed pet care facilities, principally under the service mark Camp Bow Wow ® . As of September 30, 2015 , there were 128 Camp Bow Wow ® franchise locations operating in 35 states and one Canadian province. The following table summarizes the total purchase price and the final allocation of the purchase price (in thousands): Consideration: Cash, net of cash acquired $ 15,174 Assumed debt 323 Holdbacks 1,500 Earn-outs 760 Fair value of total consideration transferred $ 17,757 Allocation of the Purchase Price: Tangible assets $ 637 Identifiable intangible assets (1) 13,420 Goodwill (2) 4,219 Other liabilities assumed (519 ) Total $ 17,757 ____________________________ (1) Identifiable intangible assets primarily include franchise rights, trademarks, covenants-not-to-compete and existing technology. The weighted-average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately ten years . The weighted-average amortization periods for the franchise rights, covenants and existing technology is approximately ten years , three years and four years , respectively. The trademarks have an indefinite life and will be assessed annually for impairment. (2) As of September 30, 2015 , we expect that the full amount of goodwill recorded for this acquisition will be deductible for income tax purposes.

Other Accrued Liabilities

Other Accrued Liabilities	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Other Accrued Liabilities	Other Accrued Liabilities Other accrued liabilities consisted of the following at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands): September 30, 2015 December 31, 2014 Deferred revenue $ 16,526 $ 14,304 Accrued health insurance 5,113 5,194 Deferred rent 4,702 4,535 Accrued other insurance 4,735 4,381 Miscellaneous accrued taxes (1) 4,446 3,025 Accrued accounting and legal fees 2,952 2,900 Accrued workers' compensation 5,856 2,781 Holdbacks and earn-outs 10,629 7,878 Customer deposits 2,129 2,229 Accrued consulting fees 3,655 3,172 Accrued lease payments 1,378 1,657 Other 13,058 15,163 $ 75,179 $ 67,219 ____________________________ (1) Includes property, sales and use taxes.

Long-Term Obligations

Long-Term Obligations	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Obligations	Long-Term Obligations Long-term obligations consisted of the following at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands): September 30, 2015 December 31, 2014 Senior term notes Notes payable, maturing in 2019, secured by assets, variable interest rate (1.69% and 1.67% at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively) 592,500 600,000 Revolving credit Revolving line of credit, maturing in 2019, secured by assets, variable interest rate (1.69% and 1.67% at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively) 232,000 135,000 Secured seller notes Notes payable matures in 2015, secured by assets and stock of certain subsidiaries, with interest rate of 10.0% 230 230 Total debt obligations 824,730 735,230 Capital lease obligations and other debt 56,425 59,538 881,155 794,768 Less — current portion (34,043 ) (19,356 ) $ 847,112 $ 775,412 Interest Rate. In general, borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility (including swing line borrowings) bear interest, at our option, on either: • the base rate (as defined below) plus the applicable margin of 0.50% (Pricing Tier 4, see table below) per annum; or • the Eurodollar rate (as defined below), plus a margin of 1.50% (Pricing Tier 4, see table below) per annum 6. Long-Term Obligations, continued Each of the aforementioned margins remain applicable until the date of delivery of the compliance certificate and the financial statements, for the period ended September 30, 2015 , at which time the applicable margin will be determined by reference to the leverage ratio in effect from time to time as set forth in the following table: Pricing Tier Consolidated Leverage Ratio Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans/Letter of Credit Fees Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans Commitment Fee 1 ≥ 4.00:1.00 2.25 % 1.25 % 0.45 % 2 < 4.00:1.00 and ≥ 3.25:1.00 2.00 % 1.00 % 0.40 % 3 < 3.25:1.00 and ≥ 2.50:1.00 1.75 % 0.75 % 0.35 % 4 < 2.50:1.00 and ≥ 1.75:1.00 1.50 % 0.50 % 0.30 % 5 < 1.75:1.00 and ≥ 1.00:1.00 1.25 % 0.25 % 0.25 % 6 < 1.00:1.00 1.00 % — % 0.25 % The base rate for the senior term notes is a rate per annum equal to the highest of the (a) Federal Funds Rate plus 0.5%, (b) Bank of America, N.A.'s ("Bank of America") prime rate in effect on such day, and (c) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.0%. The Eurodollar rate is defined as the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"), or a comparable or successor rate which is approved by Bank of America. Maturity and Principal Payments. The senior term notes mature on August 27, 2019 . Principal payments on the senior term notes of $7.5 million are due each calendar quarter from December 31, 2015 to and including June 30, 2017, $11.3 million are due each calendar quarter from September 30, 2017 to and including June 30, 2018 and $15.0 million are due each calendar quarter thereafter with a final payment of the outstanding principal balance due upon maturity. The revolving credit facility has a per annum commitment fee determined by reference to the Leverage Ratio in effect from time to time as set forth in the table above and is applied to the unused portion of the commitment. The revolving credit facility matures on August 27, 2019. Principal payments on the revolving credit facility are made at our discretion with the entire unpaid amount due at maturity. At September 30, 2015 , we had borrowings of $232.0 million under our revolving credit facility. The following table sets forth the scheduled principal payments for the Senior Credit Facility (in thousands): 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Senior term notes $ 7,500 $ 30,000 $ 37,500 $ 52,500 $ 465,000 Revolving loans — — — — 232,000 $ 7,500 $ 30,000 $ 37,500 $ 52,500 $ 697,000 Guarantees and Security. We and each of our wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries guarantee the outstanding indebtedness under the Senior Credit Facility. Any borrowings, along with the guarantees of the domestic subsidiaries, are further secured by a pledge of substantially all of our consolidated assets, including 65% of the voting equity and 100% of the non-voting equity interest in each of our foreign subsidiaries.

Calculation of Earnings per Sha

Calculation of Earnings per Share	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Calculation of Earnings per Share	Calculation of Earnings per Share Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income attributable to VCA Inc. by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, after giving effect to all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. Basic and diluted earnings per share were calculated as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 2015 2014 Net income attributable to VCA Inc. $ 54,854 $ 27,452 $ 147,454 $ 107,079 Weighted-average common shares outstanding: Basic 80,815 86,274 81,700 87,543 Effect of dilutive potential common shares: Stock options 338 324 338 285 Non-vested shares and units 642 762 706 837 Diluted 81,795 87,360 82,744 88,665 Basic earnings per common share $ 0.68 $ 0.32 $ 1.80 $ 1.22 Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.67 $ 0.31 $ 1.78 $ 1.21 For the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 there were no potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share. For the nine months ended September 30, 2015 , an immaterial amount of potential common shares were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because their inclusion would have had an antidilutive effect. For the nine months ended September 30, 2014 there were no potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share.

Lines of Business

Lines of Business	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Lines of Business	Lines of Business Our Animal Hospital and Laboratory business segments are each considered reportable segments in accordance with the FASB's guidance related to Segment Reporting. Our Animal Hospital segment provides veterinary services for companion animals and sells related retail and pharmaceutical products. Our Laboratory segment provides diagnostic laboratory testing services for veterinarians, both associated with our animal hospitals and those independent of us. Our other operating segments included in the “All Other” category are our Medical Technology business, which sells digital radiography and ultrasound imaging equipment, related computer hardware, software and ancillary services to the veterinary market, our Vetstreet business, which provides online and printed communications, professional education, marketing solutions to the veterinary community and an ecommerce platform for independent animal hospitals, and our Camp Bow Wow business, which primarily franchises a premier provider of pet services including dog day care, overnight boarding, grooming and other ancillary services at specially designed pet care facilities. These operating segments do not meet the quantitative requirements for reportable segments. Our operating segments are strategic business units that have different services, products and/or functions. The segments are managed separately because each is a distinct and different business venture with unique challenges, risks and rewards. We also operate a corporate office that provides general and administrative support services for our other segments. The accounting policies of our segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies included in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. We evaluate the performance of our segments based on gross profit and operating income. For purposes of reviewing the operating performance of our segments, all intercompany sales and purchases are generally accounted for as if they were transactions with independent third parties at current market prices. 8. Lines of Business, continued The following is a summary of certain financial data for each of our segments (in thousands): Animal Hospital Laboratory All Other Corporate Eliminations Total Three Months Ended External revenue $ 441,924 $ 84,129 $ 24,544 $ — $ 1,120 $ 551,717 Intercompany revenue — 16,180 6,294 — (22,474 ) — Total revenue 441,924 100,309 30,838 — (21,354 ) 551,717 Direct costs 366,983 48,901 19,077 — (20,910 ) 414,051 Gross profit 74,941 51,408 11,761 — (444 ) 137,666 Selling, general and administrative expense 10,677 9,542 7,660 16,981 — 44,860 Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets 64,264 41,866 4,101 (16,981 ) (444 ) 92,806 Business interruption insurance gain — — (4,523 ) — — (4,523 ) Net loss on sale or disposal of assets 175 — 72 3 — 250 Operating income (loss) $ 64,089 $ 41,866 $ 8,552 $ (16,984 ) $ (444 ) $ 97,079 Depreciation and amortization $ 16,520 $ 2,731 $ 1,181 $ 588 $ (549 ) $ 20,471 Property and equipment additions $ 19,429 $ 5,735 $ 127 $ 2,773 $ (1,115 ) $ 26,949 Three Months Ended External revenue $ 395,820 $ 77,394 $ 25,397 $ — $ 966 $ 499,577 Intercompany revenue — 14,509 4,684 — (19,193 ) — Total revenue 395,820 91,903 30,081 — (18,227 ) 499,577 Direct costs 327,283 46,879 19,945 — (18,287 ) 375,820 Gross profit 68,537 45,024 10,136 — 60 123,757 Selling, general and administrative expense 9,269 8,610 8,023 16,890 — 42,792 Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets 59,268 36,414 2,113 (16,890 ) 60 80,965 Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets — — 27,019 — — 27,019 Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets 598 7 — (135 ) — 470 Operating income (loss) $ 58,670 $ 36,407 $ (24,906 ) $ (16,755 ) $ 60 $ 53,476 Depreciation and amortization $ 15,201 $ 2,671 $ 1,781 $ 688 $ (479 ) $ 19,862 Property and equipment additions $ 17,224 $ 2,391 $ 1,123 $ 2,025 $ (649 ) $ 22,114 8. Lines of Business, continued Animal Hospital Laboratory All Other Corporate Eliminations Total Nine Months Ended External revenue $ 1,270,326 $ 252,645 $ 73,895 $ — $ 3,089 $ 1,599,955 Intercompany revenue — 47,858 19,839 — (67,697 ) — Total revenue 1,270,326 300,503 93,734 — (64,608 ) 1,599,955 Direct costs 1,066,516 144,410 59,160 — (62,506 ) 1,207,580 Gross profit 203,810 156,093 34,574 — (2,102 ) 392,375 Selling, general and administrative expense 32,351 27,894 24,088 49,410 — 133,743 Operating income (loss) before charges 171,459 128,199 10,486 (49,410 ) (2,102 ) 258,632 Business interruption insurance gain — — (4,523 ) — — (4,523 ) Net (gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets (445 ) 41 92 78 — (234 ) Operating income (loss) $ 171,904 $ 128,158 $ 14,917 $ (49,488 ) $ (2,102 ) $ 263,389 Depreciation and amortization $ 49,032 $ 7,940 $ 3,509 $ 1,755 $ (1,602 ) $ 60,634 Property and equipment additions $ 45,506 $ 11,813 $ 1,427 $ 5,349 $ (2,625 ) $ 61,470 Nine Months Ended External revenue $ 1,134,184 $ 233,497 $ 68,055 $ — $ 2,820 $ 1,438,556 Intercompany revenue — 42,895 13,859 — (56,754 ) — Total revenue 1,134,184 276,392 81,914 — (53,934 ) 1,438,556 Direct costs 953,511 139,245 54,161 — (53,984 ) 1,092,933 Gross profit 180,673 137,147 27,753 — 50 345,623 Selling, general and administrative expense 28,261 24,909 23,782 47,211 — 124,163 Operating income (loss) before charges 152,412 112,238 3,971 (47,211 ) 50 221,460 Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets — — 27,019 — — 27,019 Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets 1,180 (71 ) (1,087 ) (195 ) — (173 ) Operating income (loss) $ 151,232 $ 112,309 $ (21,961 ) $ (47,016 ) $ 50 $ 194,614 Depreciation and amortization $ 45,053 $ 7,769 $ 5,921 $ 2,333 $ (1,417 ) $ 59,659 Property and equipment additions $ 38,411 $ 5,676 $ 2,801 $ 4,769 $ (1,564 ) $ 50,093 At September 30, 2015 Total assets $ 2,147,136 $ 304,807 $ 76,969 $ 391,471 $ (489,193 ) $ 2,431,190 At December 31, 2014 Total assets $ 2,021,725 $ 258,550 $ 89,596 $ 270,414 $ (308,265 ) $ 2,332,020

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies We have certain commitments including operating leases, purchase agreements and acquisition agreements. These items are discussed in detail in our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also have contingencies as follows: a. Earn-Out Payments We have contractual arrangements in connection with certain acquisitions, whereby additional cash may be paid to former owners of acquired companies upon fulfillment of specified financial criteria as set forth in the respective agreements. The amount to be paid cannot be determined until the earn-out periods have expired. If the specified financial criteria are satisfied, we will be obligated to pay an additional $ 5.5 million . In accordance with business combination accounting guidance, contingent consideration, such as earn-outs, are recognized as part of the consideration transferred on the acquisition date. A liability is initially recorded based upon its acquisition date fair value. The changes in fair value are recognized in earnings where applicable for each reporting period. The fair value is determined using a contractually stated formula using either a multiple of revenue or Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization ("EBITDA"). The formulas used to determine the estimated fair value are Level 3 inputs. The changes in fair value were immaterial to our condensed, consolidated financial statements when taken as a whole. We recorded $3.1 million and $ 3.2 million in earn-out liabilities as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 , respectively, which are included in other accrued liabilities in our condensed, consolidated balance sheets. b. Legal Proceedings On May 29, 2013, a former veterinary assistant at one of our animal hospitals filed a purported class action lawsuit against us in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles, titled Jorge Duran vs. VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc., et. al. The lawsuit seeks to assert claims on behalf of current and former veterinary assistants employed by us in California, and alleges, among other allegations, that we improperly failed to pay regular and overtime wages, improperly failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, and engaged in unfair business practices. The lawsuit seeks damages, statutory penalties, and other relief, including attorneys’ fees and costs. On May 7, 2014, we obtained partial summary judgment, dismissing four of the eight claims of the complaint, including the claims for failure to pay regular and overtime wages. We intend to continue to vigorously defend against the remaining claims in this action. At this time, we are unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of possible loss, but do not believe losses, if any, would have a material effect on our results of operations or financial position taken as a whole. On July 16, 2014, two additional former veterinary assistants filed a purported class action lawsuit against us in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles, titled La Kimba Bradsbery and Cheri Brakensiek vs. Vicar Operating, Inc., et. al. The lawsuit seeks to assert claims on behalf of current and former veterinary assistants, kennel assistants, and client service representatives employed by us in California, and alleges, among other allegations, that we improperly failed to pay regular and overtime wages, improperly failed to provide proper meal and rest periods, improperly failed to pay reporting time pay, improperly failed to reimburse for certain business-related expenses, and engaged in unfair business practices. The lawsuit seeks damages, statutory penalties, and other relief, including attorneys’ fees and costs. These two actions are related before the same judge hearing the Duran action discussed above. In September 2014, the court issued an order staying the La Kimba Bradsbery lawsuit until class certification is completed in the Duran case. Plaintiff Duran filed his class certification motion and supporting documentation in January 2015. A class certification hearing was held on June 2, 2015. On June 25, 2015, the Court entered an Order denying class certification to veterinary assistants who were allegedly not given proper meal or rest periods. The plaintiff continues to have a Private Attorney Generals Act ("PAGA") claim. We intend to continue to vigorously defend against the remaining claim in this action. At this time, we are unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of possible loss, but do not believe losses, if any, would have a material effect on our results of operations or financial position taken as a whole. 9. Commitments and Contingencies, continued On July 12, 2013, an individual who provided courier services with respect to our laboratory clients in California filed a purported class action lawsuit against us in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Santa Clara - San Jose Branch, titled Carlos Lopez vs. Logistics Delivery Solutions, LLC, Antech Diagnostics, Inc., et. al. Logistics Delivery Solutions, LLC, a co-defendant in the lawsuit, is a company with which Antech has contracted to provide courier services in California. The lawsuit seeks to assert claims on behalf of individuals who were engaged by Logistics Delivery Solutions, LLC to perform such courier services and alleges, among other allegations, that Logistics Delivery Solutions and Antech Diagnostics improperly classified the plaintiffs as independent contractors, improperly failed to pay overtime wages, and improperly failed to provide proper meal periods. The lawsuit seeks damages, statutory penalties, and other relief, including attorneys' fees and costs. The parties have an agreement in principle to settle the action, on a class-wide basis, for an amount not to exceed $1,250,000 . Logistics Delivery Solutions, LLC, has agreed to pay half of the claim. Accordingly, as of September 30, 2015 , we have accrued the remaining fifty percent . The proposed settlement, when and if it becomes effective, would not be an admission of wrongdoing or acceptance of fault by any of the defendants named in the complaint. Antech Diagnostics and Logistics Delivery Solutions have agreed upon the terms of this proposed settlement to eliminate the uncertainties, risk, distraction and expense associated with protracted litigation. The proposed settlement remains subject to court approval and class notice administration before it will be effective. On May 12, 2014, an individual client who purchased goods and services from one of our animal hospitals filed a purported class action lawsuit against us in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, titled Tony M. Graham vs. VCA Antech, Inc. and VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc. The lawsuit seeks to assert claims on behalf of the plaintiff and other individuals who purchased similar goods and services from our animal hospitals and alleges, among other allegations, that we improperly charged such individuals for “biohazard waste management” in connection with the services performed. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages in unspecified amounts, and other relief, including attorneys' fees and costs. VCA successfully had the venue transferred to the Southern District of California. This case is in an early procedural stage and we intend to vigorously defend this action. At this time, we are unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of possible loss, but do not believe losses, if any, would have a material effect on our results of operations or financial position taken as a whole. In addition to the lawsuits described above, we are party to ordinary routine legal proceedings and claims incidental to our business, but we are not currently a party to any legal proceeding that we believe would have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling Interests	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
Noncontrolling Interests	Noncontrolling Interests We own some of our animal hospitals in partnerships with noncontrolling interest holders. We consolidate our partnerships in our condensed, consolidated financial statements because our ownership interest in these partnerships is equal to or greater than 50.1% and we control these entities. We record noncontrolling interest in income of subsidiaries equal to our partners’ percentage ownership of the partnerships’ income. We also record changes in the redemption value of our redeemable noncontrolling interests in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in our condensed, consolidated income statements. We reflect our noncontrolling partners’ cumulative share in the equity of the respective partnerships as either noncontrolling interests in equity, mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests in other liabilities, or redeemable noncontrolling interests in temporary equity (mezzanine) in our condensed, consolidated balance sheets. a. Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests The terms of some of our partnership agreements require us to purchase the partner’s equity in the partnership in the event of the partner’s death. We report these redeemable noncontrolling interests at their estimated redemption value, which approximates fair value, and classify them as liabilities due to the certainty of the related event. Estimated redemption value is determined using either a contractually stated formula or a discounted cash flow technique, both of which are used as an approximation of fair value. The discounted cash flow inputs used to determine the redemption value are Level 3 and include forecasted growth rates, valuation multiples, and the weighted average cost of capital. We recognize changes in the obligation as interest cost in our condensed, consolidated income statement. The following table provides a summary of mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests included in other liabilities in our condensed, consolidated balance sheets (in thousands): Income Statement Impact Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 9,355 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 1,172 Redemption value change 315 1,487 Distribution to noncontrolling interests (1,064 ) Currency translation adjustment (358 ) Balance as of September 30, 2014 $ 9,420 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 9,405 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 1,088 Redemption value change 1 1,089 Purchase of noncontrolling interests (803 ) Distribution to noncontrolling interests (1,099 ) Currency translation adjustment (338 ) Balance as of September 30, 2015 $ 8,254 10. Noncontrolling Interests, continued b. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests We also enter into partnership agreements whereby the noncontrolling interest partner is issued certain “put” rights. These rights are normally exercisable at the sole discretion of the noncontrolling interest partner. We report these redeemable noncontrolling interests at their estimated redemption value and classify them in temporary equity (mezzanine). We recognize changes in the obligation in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in our condensed, consolidated income statement. The following table provides a summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests (in thousands): Income Statement Impact Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 10,678 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 940 Redemption value change (217 ) 723 Formation of noncontrolling interests 855 Purchase of noncontrolling interests (356 ) Distribution to noncontrolling interests (886 ) Balance as of September 30, 2014 $ 11,014 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 11,077 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 1,021 Redemption value change 371 1,392 Distribution to noncontrolling interests (1,196 ) Balance as of September 30, 2015 $ 11,273

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

Recent Accounting Pronouncements	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In July 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-11, “ Inventory (Topic 330): “Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” which amends the guidelines for the measurement of inventory. The amendments in this ASU do not apply to inventory that is measured using last-in, first-out (LIFO) or the retail inventory method, but do apply to all other inventory, which includes inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost. Under the amendments, an entity should measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is defined as the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments in this ASU should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted. We will further study the implications of this statement in order to evaluate the expected impact on the consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03 - “ Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 2015-03): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs ” which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability instead of being presented as an asset, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by ASU 2015-03. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years and is to be implemented retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. Adoption of the new guidance will only affect the presentation of our consolidated balance sheets and will not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “ Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. ” The amendments in this update affect reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. Specifically, the amendments (i) modify the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities (VIEs) or voting interest entities, (ii) eliminate the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, (iii) affect the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships, and (iv) provide a scope exception from consolidation guidance for reporting entities with interests in certain legal entities. This ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We do not expect this adoption to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 creating Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Section 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”. The new section will replace Section 605, “Revenue Recognition” and create modifications to various other revenue accounting standards for specialized transactions and industries. The guidance in this update is intended to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and to develop a common revenue standard for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that would remove inconsistencies and weaknesses in revenue requirements, provide a more robust framework for addressing revenue issues, and improve comparability of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions, and capital markets. The new accounting guidance will require companies to recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This update creates a five-step model that requires companies to exercise judgment when considering the terms of the contract(s) which include (i) identifying the contract(s) with the customer, (ii) identifying the separate performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determining the transaction price, (iv) allocating the transaction price to the separate performance obligations, and (v) recognizing revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied. The update allows for either full retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or modified retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements. The updated guidance was originally effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. Based on the Board’s approved decision on July 9, 2015 to defer the effective date by one year, public organizations may apply the new revenue standard to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Additionally, the Board decided to permit both public and nonpublic organizations to adopt the new revenue standard early, but not before the original public organization effective date. Accordingly, we will adopt the new provisions of this 11. Recent Accounting Pronouncements, continued accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2018. We will further study the implications of this statement in order to evaluate the expected impact on the consolidated financial statements and evaluate the method of adoption we would apply.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events	Subsequent Events Sale of Majority Interest in Vetstreet On November 2, 2015, we entered into an agreement pursuant to which a subsidiary of Henry Schein, Inc., provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, will acquire a majority interest in our subsidiary, Vetstreet, Inc., a software as a service (SaaS) provider of marketing solutions and health information analytics to veterinary practices and animal health product manufacturers. Following the closing of the transaction, the subsidiary of Henry Schein, Inc., will own 80.1 percent of our Vetstreet business, with the remaining interest owned by us. The transaction is currently expected to close in the first quarter of 2016. Executive Stock Grant During October 2015, our Board of Directors granted 159,971 shares of non-vested common stock to our executives. The awards granted to executive officers are subject to vesting based upon achievement of performance standards and continued service. The award will vest in equal annual installments over four years.

Basis of Presentation (Policies

Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Segment Reporting, Policy	The accounting policies of our segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies included in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. We evaluate the performance of our segments based on gross profit and operating income. For purposes of reviewing the operating performance of our segments, all intercompany sales and purchases are generally accounted for as if they were transactions with independent third parties at current market prices.
Consolidation, Policy	We own some of our animal hospitals in partnerships with noncontrolling interest holders. We consolidate our partnerships in our condensed, consolidated financial statements because our ownership interest in these partnerships is equal to or greater than 50.1% and we control these entities. We record noncontrolling interest in income of subsidiaries equal to our partners’ percentage ownership of the partnerships’ income. We also record changes in the redemption value of our redeemable noncontrolling interests in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in our condensed, consolidated income statements. We reflect our noncontrolling partners’ cumulative share in the equity of the respective partnerships as either noncontrolling interests in equity, mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests in other liabilities, or redeemable noncontrolling interests in temporary equity (mezzanine) in our condensed, consolidated balance sheets.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements, Policy	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In July 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-11, “ Inventory (Topic 330): “Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” which amends the guidelines for the measurement of inventory. The amendments in this ASU do not apply to inventory that is measured using last-in, first-out (LIFO) or the retail inventory method, but do apply to all other inventory, which includes inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost. Under the amendments, an entity should measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is defined as the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments in this ASU should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted. We will further study the implications of this statement in order to evaluate the expected impact on the consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03 - “ Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 2015-03): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs ” which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability instead of being presented as an asset, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by ASU 2015-03. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years and is to be implemented retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. Adoption of the new guidance will only affect the presentation of our consolidated balance sheets and will not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “ Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. ” The amendments in this update affect reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. Specifically, the amendments (i) modify the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities (VIEs) or voting interest entities, (ii) eliminate the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, (iii) affect the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships, and (iv) provide a scope exception from consolidation guidance for reporting entities with interests in certain legal entities. This ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We do not expect this adoption to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 creating Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Section 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”. The new section will replace Section 605, “Revenue Recognition” and create modifications to various other revenue accounting standards for specialized transactions and industries. The guidance in this update is intended to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and to develop a common revenue standard for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that would remove inconsistencies and weaknesses in revenue requirements, provide a more robust framework for addressing revenue issues, and improve comparability of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions, and capital markets. The new accounting guidance will require companies to recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This update creates a five-step model that requires companies to exercise judgment when considering the terms of the contract(s) which include (i) identifying the contract(s) with the customer, (ii) identifying the separate performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determining the transaction price, (iv) allocating the transaction price to the separate performance obligations, and (v) recognizing revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied. The update allows for either full retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or modified retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements. The updated guidance was originally effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. Based on the Board’s approved decision on July 9, 2015 to defer the effective date by one year, public organizations may apply the new revenue standard to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Additionally, the Board decided to permit both public and nonpublic organizations to adopt the new revenue standard early, but not before the original public organization effective date. Accordingly, we will adopt the new provisions of this 11. Recent Accounting Pronouncements, continued accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2018. We will further study the implications of this statement in order to evaluate the expected impact on the consolidated financial statements and evaluate the method of adoption we would apply.
Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Shares Subject to Mandatory Redemption, Changes in Redemption Value, Policy	Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests The terms of some of our partnership agreements require us to purchase the partner’s equity in the partnership in the event of the partner’s death. We report these redeemable noncontrolling interests at their estimated redemption value, which approximates fair value, and classify them as liabilities due to the certainty of the related event. Estimated redemption value is determined using either a contractually stated formula or a discounted cash flow technique, both of which are used as an approximation of fair value. The discounted cash flow inputs used to determine the redemption value are Level 3 and include forecasted growth rates, valuation multiples, and the weighted average cost of capital. We recognize changes in the obligation as interest cost in our condensed, consolidated income statement.
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Shares Subject to Mandatory Redemption, Changes in Redemption Value, Policy	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests We also enter into partnership agreements whereby the noncontrolling interest partner is issued certain “put” rights. These rights are normally exercisable at the sole discretion of the noncontrolling interest partner. We report these redeemable noncontrolling interests at their estimated redemption value and classify them in temporary equity (mezzanine). We recognize changes in the obligation in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in our condensed, consolidated income statement.

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived23

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill	The following table presents the changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 (in thousands): Animal Hospital Laboratory All Other Total Balance as of December 31, 2014 Goodwill $ 1,305,558 $ 97,535 $ 142,825 $ 1,545,918 Accumulated impairment losses — — (130,057 ) (130,057 ) Subtotal 1,305,558 97,535 12,768 1,415,861 Goodwill acquired 89,473 4,172 255 93,900 Foreign translation adjustment (18,157 ) (71 ) — (18,228 ) Other (1) (1,686 ) (4 ) — (1,690 ) Balance as of September 30, 2015 Goodwill 1,375,188 101,632 143,080 1,619,900 Accumulated impairment losses — — (130,057 ) (130,057 ) Subtotal $ 1,375,188 $ 101,632 $ 13,023 $ 1,489,843 ____________________________ (1) "Other" primarily includes write-offs related to the sale of three animal hospitals partially offset by measurement period adjustments.
Other Intangible Assets	Our acquisition related amortizable intangible assets at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands): As of September 30, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Gross Carrying Amount Accumulated Amortization Net Carrying Amount Gross Carrying Amount Accumulated Amortization Net Carrying Amount Non-contractual customer relationships $ 117,689 $ (48,249 ) $ 69,440 $ 101,056 $ (45,295 ) $ 55,761 Covenants not-to-compete 12,163 (4,818 ) 7,345 10,093 (4,422 ) 5,671 Favorable lease assets 9,451 (5,330 ) 4,121 9,576 (4,962 ) 4,614 Trademarks 12,691 (4,138 ) 8,553 13,503 (4,015 ) 9,488 Contracts 100 (36 ) 64 100 (11 ) 89 Technology 1,627 (670 ) 957 1,627 (414 ) 1,213 Franchise rights 11,730 (1,271 ) 10,459 11,730 (391 ) 11,339 Total $ 165,451 $ (64,512 ) $ 100,939 $ 147,685 $ (59,510 ) $ 88,175
Estimated amortization expense related to intangible assets	The following table summarizes our aggregate amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets (in thousands): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 2015 2014 Aggregate amortization expense $ 5,811 $ 5,231 $ 17,195 $ 15,605 The estimated amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets for the remainder of 2015 and each of the succeeding years thereafter, as of September 30, 2015 , is as follows (in thousands): Finite-lived intangible assets: Remainder of 2015 $ 6,092 2016 22,584 2017 16,816 2018 13,421 2019 10,363 Thereafter 30,623 Total $ 99,899 Indefinite-lived intangible assets: Trademarks 1,040 Total intangible assets $ 100,939
Estimated amortization expense related to indefinite intangible assets	The estimated amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets for the remainder of 2015 and each of the succeeding years thereafter, as of September 30, 2015 , is as follows (in thousands): Finite-lived intangible assets: Remainder of 2015 $ 6,092 2016 22,584 2017 16,816 2018 13,421 2019 10,363 Thereafter 30,623 Total $ 99,899 Indefinite-lived intangible assets: Trademarks 1,040 Total intangible assets $ 100,939

Acquisitions (Tables)

Acquisitions (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition Summary Of Acquired Properties	The table below reflects the activity related to the acquisitions and dispositions of our animal hospitals and laboratories during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 , respectively: Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 Animal Hospitals: Acquisitions 42 23 Acquisitions, merged (4 ) (4 ) Sold, closed or merged (7 ) (6 ) Net increase 31 13 Laboratories: Acquisitions 1 — Acquisitions, merged (1 ) — New facilities — 3 Net increase — 3
Animal Hospitals And Laboratory Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed	The following table summarizes the aggregate consideration for our independent animal hospitals and the Abaxis Veterinary Reference Laboratory ("AVRL") acquired during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, (in thousands): Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 Consideration: Cash, net of cash acquired $ 119,036 $ 46,948 Assumed debt 12,402 4,160 Holdbacks 4,497 1,400 Earn-outs 476 721 Fair value of total consideration transferred $ 136,411 $ 53,229 Allocation of the Purchase Price: Tangible assets $ 10,060 $ 2,317 Identifiable intangible assets (1) 34,130 8,176 Goodwill (2) 93,645 46,502 Other liabilities assumed (1,424 ) (47 ) Fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed $ 136,411 $ 56,948 Noncontrolling interest — (1,705 ) Fair value of pre-existing investment — (2,014 ) Total $ 136,411 $ 53,229 ____________________________ (1) Identifiable intangible assets include customer relationships, trademarks and covenants-not-to-compete. The weighted-average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately twelve years . The weighted-average amortization period for customer relationships, trademarks and covenants is approximately thirteen years , nine years and five years , respectively. (2) We expect that $73.8 million and $36.6 million of the goodwill recorded for these acquisitions, as of September 30, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, will be fully deductible for income tax purposes.
D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed	The following table summarizes the total purchase price and the final allocation of the purchase price (in thousands): Consideration: Cash, net of cash acquired $ 15,174 Assumed debt 323 Holdbacks 1,500 Earn-outs 760 Fair value of total consideration transferred $ 17,757 Allocation of the Purchase Price: Tangible assets $ 637 Identifiable intangible assets (1) 13,420 Goodwill (2) 4,219 Other liabilities assumed (519 ) Total $ 17,757 ____________________________ (1) Identifiable intangible assets primarily include franchise rights, trademarks, covenants-not-to-compete and existing technology. The weighted-average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately ten years . The weighted-average amortization periods for the franchise rights, covenants and existing technology is approximately ten years , three years and four years , respectively. The trademarks have an indefinite life and will be assessed annually for impairment. (2) As of September 30, 2015 , we expect that the full amount of goodwill recorded for this acquisition will be deductible for income tax purposes.

Other Accrued Liabilities (Tabl

Other Accrued Liabilities (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Other Accrued Liabilities	Other accrued liabilities consisted of the following at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands): September 30, 2015 December 31, 2014 Deferred revenue $ 16,526 $ 14,304 Accrued health insurance 5,113 5,194 Deferred rent 4,702 4,535 Accrued other insurance 4,735 4,381 Miscellaneous accrued taxes (1) 4,446 3,025 Accrued accounting and legal fees 2,952 2,900 Accrued workers' compensation 5,856 2,781 Holdbacks and earn-outs 10,629 7,878 Customer deposits 2,129 2,229 Accrued consulting fees 3,655 3,172 Accrued lease payments 1,378 1,657 Other 13,058 15,163 $ 75,179 $ 67,219 ____________________________ (1) Includes property, sales and use taxes.

Long-Term Obligations (Tables)

Long-Term Obligations (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of long-term debt instruments	Long-term obligations consisted of the following at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands): September 30, 2015 December 31, 2014 Senior term notes Notes payable, maturing in 2019, secured by assets, variable interest rate (1.69% and 1.67% at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively) 592,500 600,000 Revolving credit Revolving line of credit, maturing in 2019, secured by assets, variable interest rate (1.69% and 1.67% at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively) 232,000 135,000 Secured seller notes Notes payable matures in 2015, secured by assets and stock of certain subsidiaries, with interest rate of 10.0% 230 230 Total debt obligations 824,730 735,230 Capital lease obligations and other debt 56,425 59,538 881,155 794,768 Less — current portion (34,043 ) (19,356 ) $ 847,112 $ 775,412
Summary of Leverage Ratio in effect from time to time	Each of the aforementioned margins remain applicable until the date of delivery of the compliance certificate and the financial statements, for the period ended September 30, 2015 , at which time the applicable margin will be determined by reference to the leverage ratio in effect from time to time as set forth in the following table: Pricing Tier Consolidated Leverage Ratio Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans/Letter of Credit Fees Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans Commitment Fee 1 ≥ 4.00:1.00 2.25 % 1.25 % 0.45 % 2 < 4.00:1.00 and ≥ 3.25:1.00 2.00 % 1.00 % 0.40 % 3 < 3.25:1.00 and ≥ 2.50:1.00 1.75 % 0.75 % 0.35 % 4 < 2.50:1.00 and ≥ 1.75:1.00 1.50 % 0.50 % 0.30 % 5 < 1.75:1.00 and ≥ 1.00:1.00 1.25 % 0.25 % 0.25 % 6 < 1.00:1.00 1.00 % — % 0.25 %
Schedule of principal payments for senior term notes	The following table sets forth the scheduled principal payments for the Senior Credit Facility (in thousands): 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Senior term notes $ 7,500 $ 30,000 $ 37,500 $ 52,500 $ 465,000 Revolving loans — — — — 232,000 $ 7,500 $ 30,000 $ 37,500 $ 52,500 $ 697,000

Calculation of Earnings per S27

Calculation of Earnings per Share (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Calculation of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share	Basic and diluted earnings per share were calculated as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 2015 2014 2015 2014 Net income attributable to VCA Inc. $ 54,854 $ 27,452 $ 147,454 $ 107,079 Weighted-average common shares outstanding: Basic 80,815 86,274 81,700 87,543 Effect of dilutive potential common shares: Stock options 338 324 338 285 Non-vested shares and units 642 762 706 837 Diluted 81,795 87,360 82,744 88,665 Basic earnings per common share $ 0.68 $ 0.32 $ 1.80 $ 1.22 Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.67 $ 0.31 $ 1.78 $ 1.21

Lines of Business (Tables)

Lines of Business (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Lines of Business	The following is a summary of certain financial data for each of our segments (in thousands): Animal Hospital Laboratory All Other Corporate Eliminations Total Three Months Ended External revenue $ 441,924 $ 84,129 $ 24,544 $ — $ 1,120 $ 551,717 Intercompany revenue — 16,180 6,294 — (22,474 ) — Total revenue 441,924 100,309 30,838 — (21,354 ) 551,717 Direct costs 366,983 48,901 19,077 — (20,910 ) 414,051 Gross profit 74,941 51,408 11,761 — (444 ) 137,666 Selling, general and administrative expense 10,677 9,542 7,660 16,981 — 44,860 Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets 64,264 41,866 4,101 (16,981 ) (444 ) 92,806 Business interruption insurance gain — — (4,523 ) — — (4,523 ) Net loss on sale or disposal of assets 175 — 72 3 — 250 Operating income (loss) $ 64,089 $ 41,866 $ 8,552 $ (16,984 ) $ (444 ) $ 97,079 Depreciation and amortization $ 16,520 $ 2,731 $ 1,181 $ 588 $ (549 ) $ 20,471 Property and equipment additions $ 19,429 $ 5,735 $ 127 $ 2,773 $ (1,115 ) $ 26,949 Three Months Ended External revenue $ 395,820 $ 77,394 $ 25,397 $ — $ 966 $ 499,577 Intercompany revenue — 14,509 4,684 — (19,193 ) — Total revenue 395,820 91,903 30,081 — (18,227 ) 499,577 Direct costs 327,283 46,879 19,945 — (18,287 ) 375,820 Gross profit 68,537 45,024 10,136 — 60 123,757 Selling, general and administrative expense 9,269 8,610 8,023 16,890 — 42,792 Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets 59,268 36,414 2,113 (16,890 ) 60 80,965 Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets — — 27,019 — — 27,019 Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets 598 7 — (135 ) — 470 Operating income (loss) $ 58,670 $ 36,407 $ (24,906 ) $ (16,755 ) $ 60 $ 53,476 Depreciation and amortization $ 15,201 $ 2,671 $ 1,781 $ 688 $ (479 ) $ 19,862 Property and equipment additions $ 17,224 $ 2,391 $ 1,123 $ 2,025 $ (649 ) $ 22,114 8. Lines of Business, continued Animal Hospital Laboratory All Other Corporate Eliminations Total Nine Months Ended External revenue $ 1,270,326 $ 252,645 $ 73,895 $ — $ 3,089 $ 1,599,955 Intercompany revenue — 47,858 19,839 — (67,697 ) — Total revenue 1,270,326 300,503 93,734 — (64,608 ) 1,599,955 Direct costs 1,066,516 144,410 59,160 — (62,506 ) 1,207,580 Gross profit 203,810 156,093 34,574 — (2,102 ) 392,375 Selling, general and administrative expense 32,351 27,894 24,088 49,410 — 133,743 Operating income (loss) before charges 171,459 128,199 10,486 (49,410 ) (2,102 ) 258,632 Business interruption insurance gain — — (4,523 ) — — (4,523 ) Net (gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets (445 ) 41 92 78 — (234 ) Operating income (loss) $ 171,904 $ 128,158 $ 14,917 $ (49,488 ) $ (2,102 ) $ 263,389 Depreciation and amortization $ 49,032 $ 7,940 $ 3,509 $ 1,755 $ (1,602 ) $ 60,634 Property and equipment additions $ 45,506 $ 11,813 $ 1,427 $ 5,349 $ (2,625 ) $ 61,470 Nine Months Ended External revenue $ 1,134,184 $ 233,497 $ 68,055 $ — $ 2,820 $ 1,438,556 Intercompany revenue — 42,895 13,859 — (56,754 ) — Total revenue 1,134,184 276,392 81,914 — (53,934 ) 1,438,556 Direct costs 953,511 139,245 54,161 — (53,984 ) 1,092,933 Gross profit 180,673 137,147 27,753 — 50 345,623 Selling, general and administrative expense 28,261 24,909 23,782 47,211 — 124,163 Operating income (loss) before charges 152,412 112,238 3,971 (47,211 ) 50 221,460 Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets — — 27,019 — — 27,019 Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets 1,180 (71 ) (1,087 ) (195 ) — (173 ) Operating income (loss) $ 151,232 $ 112,309 $ (21,961 ) $ (47,016 ) $ 50 $ 194,614 Depreciation and amortization $ 45,053 $ 7,769 $ 5,921 $ 2,333 $ (1,417 ) $ 59,659 Property and equipment additions $ 38,411 $ 5,676 $ 2,801 $ 4,769 $ (1,564 ) $ 50,093 At September 30, 2015 Total assets $ 2,147,136 $ 304,807 $ 76,969 $ 391,471 $ (489,193 ) $ 2,431,190 At December 31, 2014 Total assets $ 2,021,725 $ 258,550 $ 89,596 $ 270,414 $ (308,265 ) $ 2,332,020

Noncontrolling Interests (Table

Noncontrolling Interests (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests	The following table provides a summary of mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests included in other liabilities in our condensed, consolidated balance sheets (in thousands): Income Statement Impact Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 9,355 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 1,172 Redemption value change 315 1,487 Distribution to noncontrolling interests (1,064 ) Currency translation adjustment (358 ) Balance as of September 30, 2014 $ 9,420 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 9,405 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 1,088 Redemption value change 1 1,089 Purchase of noncontrolling interests (803 ) Distribution to noncontrolling interests (1,099 ) Currency translation adjustment (338 ) Balance as of September 30, 2015 $ 8,254
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests	The following table provides a summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests (in thousands): Income Statement Impact Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 10,678 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 940 Redemption value change (217 ) 723 Formation of noncontrolling interests 855 Purchase of noncontrolling interests (356 ) Distribution to noncontrolling interests (886 ) Balance as of September 30, 2014 $ 11,014 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 11,077 Noncontrolling interest expense $ 1,021 Redemption value change 371 1,392 Distribution to noncontrolling interests (1,196 ) Balance as of September 30, 2015 $ 11,273

Nature of Operations (Details)

Nature of Operations (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015day_care_locationprovinceLaboratorysegmentHospitalStatereportable_segment
Nature of Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of operating segments | segment	5
Number of reportable segments | reportable_segment	2
Number of hospitals operated | Hospital	674
Number of states in which hospitals are operated	41
Number of Canadian Provinces | province	4
Number of states in which the company operate a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory network	50
Number of laboratories operated | Laboratory	59
Camp Bow Wow [Member]
Nature of Operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of dog boarding and day care service locations operated | day_care_location	128
Number of states in which the entity operates	35
Number of Canadian Provinces in which entity operates | province	1

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived31

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Details) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)Hospital	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill		$ 1,545,918
Accumulated impairment losses		(130,057)	$ (130,057)
Subtotal		1,489,843	1,415,861
Goodwill acquired		93,900
Foreign translation adjustment		(18,228)
Other	[1]	(1,690)
Goodwill		$ 1,619,900
Number of animal hospitals sold | Hospital		3
Animal Hospital [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill		$ 1,305,558
Accumulated impairment losses		0	0
Subtotal		1,375,188	1,305,558
Goodwill acquired		89,473
Foreign translation adjustment		(18,157)
Other	[1]	(1,686)
Goodwill		1,375,188
Laboratory [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill		97,535
Accumulated impairment losses		0	0
Subtotal		101,632	97,535
Goodwill acquired		4,172
Foreign translation adjustment		(71)
Other	[1]	(4)
Goodwill		101,632
All Other [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill		142,825
Accumulated impairment losses		(130,057)	(130,057)
Subtotal		13,023	$ 12,768
Goodwill acquired		255
Foreign translation adjustment		0
Other	[1]	0
Goodwill		$ 143,080
[1]	"Other" primarily includes write-offs related to the sale of three animal hospitals partially offset by measurement period adjustments.

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived32

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 165,451	$ 147,685
Accumulated Amortization	(64,512)	(59,510)
Total intangible assets	100,939	88,175
Non-contractual customer relationships [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	117,689	101,056
Accumulated Amortization	(48,249)	(45,295)
Total intangible assets	69,440	55,761
Covenants not-to-compete [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	12,163	10,093
Accumulated Amortization	(4,818)	(4,422)
Total intangible assets	7,345	5,671
Favorable lease assets [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	9,451	9,576
Accumulated Amortization	(5,330)	(4,962)
Total intangible assets	4,121	4,614
Contracts [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	100	100
Accumulated Amortization	(36)	(11)
Total intangible assets	64	89
Technology [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	1,627	1,627
Accumulated Amortization	(670)	(414)
Total intangible assets	957	1,213
Franchise rights [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	11,730	11,730
Accumulated Amortization	(1,271)	(391)
Total intangible assets	10,459	11,339
Trademarks [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	12,691	13,503
Accumulated Amortization	(4,138)	(4,015)
Total intangible assets	$ 8,553	$ 9,488

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived33

Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Aggregate amortization expense	$ 5,811	$ 5,231	$ 17,195	$ 15,605
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net, Amortization Expense, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Remainder of 2015	6,092		6,092
2,016	22,584		22,584
2,017	16,816		16,816
2,018	13,421		13,421
2,019	10,363		10,363
Thereafter	30,623		30,623
Total	99,899		99,899
Trademarks	1,040		1,040
Total intangible assets	$ 100,939		$ 100,939		$ 88,175

Acquisitions (Details)

Acquisitions (Details) $ in Thousands		Aug. 15, 2014USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)LaboratoryHospital	Sep. 30, 2014USD ($)LaboratoryHospital	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)
Consideration:
Cash, net of cash acquired			$ 119,336	$ 65,415
Earn-outs			3,100		$ 3,200
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Goodwill			1,489,843		$ 1,415,861
Fair value of pre-existing investment			0	(2,014)
Animal Hospitals And Laboratory Acquisitions [Member]
Consideration:
Cash, net of cash acquired			119,036	46,948
Assumed debt			12,402	4,160
Holdbacks			4,497	1,400
Earn-outs			476	721
Fair value of total consideration transferred			136,411	53,229
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Tangible assets			10,060	2,317
Identifiable intangible assets	[1]		34,130	8,176
Goodwill	[2]		93,645	46,502
Other liabilities assumed			(1,424)	(47)
Fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed			136,411	56,948
Noncontrolling interest			0	(1,705)
Fair value of pre-existing investment			0	(2,014)
Total			$ 136,411	53,229
Weighted average useful life (in years)			12 years
Goodwill recorded for acquisitions, fully deductible for income tax purposes			$ 73,800	$ 36,600
Animal Hospital [Member]
Business Acquisition Summary Of Acquired Properties [Line Items]
Acquisitions | Hospital			42	23
Acquisitions, merged | Hospital			(4)	(4)
Sold, closed or merged | Hospital			(7)	(6)
Net increase | Hospital			31	13
Laboratories Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition Summary Of Acquired Properties [Line Items]
Acquisitions | Laboratory			1	0
Acquisitions, merged | Laboratory			(1)	0
New facilities | Laboratory			0	3
Net increase | Laboratory			0	3
D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC [Member]
Consideration:
Cash, net of cash acquired		$ 15,174
Assumed debt		323
Holdbacks		1,500
Earn-outs		760
Fair value of total consideration transferred		17,757
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Tangible assets		637
Identifiable intangible assets	[3]	13,420
Goodwill	[4]	4,219
Other liabilities assumed		(519)
Total		$ 17,757
Weighted average useful life (in years)		10 years
Customer Relationships [Member] | Animal Hospitals And Laboratory Acquisitions [Member]
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Weighted average useful life (in years)			13 years
Trademarks [Member] | Animal Hospitals And Laboratory Acquisitions [Member]
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Weighted average useful life (in years)			9 years
Franchise rights [Member] | D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC [Member]
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Weighted average useful life (in years)		10 years
Covenants [Member] | Animal Hospitals And Laboratory Acquisitions [Member]
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Weighted average useful life (in years)			5 years
Covenants [Member] | D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC [Member]
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Weighted average useful life (in years)		3 years
Existing Technology [Member] | D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC [Member]
Allocation of the Purchase Price:
Weighted average useful life (in years)		4 years
[1]	Identifiable intangible assets include customer relationships, trademarks and covenants-not-to-compete. The weighted-average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately twelve years. The weighted-average amortization period for customer relationships, trademarks and covenants is approximately thirteen years, nine years and five years, respectively.
[2]	We expect that $73.8 million and $36.6 million of the goodwill recorded for these acquisitions, as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, will be fully deductible for income tax purposes.
[3]	Identifiable intangible assets primarily include franchise rights, trademarks, covenants-not-to-compete and existing technology. The weighted-average amortization period for the total identifiable intangible assets is approximately ten years. The weighted-average amortization periods for the franchise rights, covenants and existing technology is approximately ten years, three years and four years, respectively. The trademarks have an indefinite life and will be assessed annually for impairment.
[4]	As of September 30, 2015, we expect that the full amount of goodwill recorded for this acquisition will be deductible for income tax purposes.

Acquisitions (Details Textuals)

Acquisitions (Details Textuals) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)	Aug. 15, 2014USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)day_care_locationprovinceState
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Maximum additional consideration to be earned			$ 5,500
Abaxis Veterinary Reference Laboratory [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred	$ 21,000
Reclassification of consideration to intangible assets	$ 15,300
D.O.G. Enterprises, LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred		$ 17,757
Weighted average useful life (in years)		10 years
Percentage of voting interests acquired		100.00%
Payments to acquire businesses, including holdbacks		$ 17,000
Maximum additional consideration to be earned		$ 3,000
Additional consideration earned, period		3 years
Camp Bow Wow [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of dog boarding and day care service locations operated (more than) | day_care_location			128
Number of states in which the entity operates | State			35
Number of Canadian Provinces in which entity operates | province			1
Customer Relationships [Member] | Abaxis Veterinary Reference Laboratory [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Weighted average useful life (in years)	20 years

Other Accrued Liabilities (Deta

Other Accrued Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Other accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue		$ 16,526	$ 14,304
Accrued health insurance		5,113	5,194
Deferred rent		4,702	4,535
Accrued other insurance		4,735	4,381
Miscellaneous accrued taxes	[1]	4,446	3,025
Accrued accounting and legal fees		2,952	2,900
Accrued workers' compensation		5,856	2,781
Holdbacks and earn-outs		10,629	7,878
Customer deposits		2,129	2,229
Accrued consulting fees		3,655	3,172
Accrued lease payments		1,378	1,657
Other		13,058	15,163
Other accrued liabilities		$ 75,179	$ 67,219
[1]	Includes property, sales and use taxes.

Long-Term Obligations (Details)

Long-Term Obligations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations	$ 824,730	$ 735,230
Capital lease obligations and other debt	56,425	59,538
Long-term debt including capital lease obligation	881,155	794,768
Less — current portion	(34,043)	(19,356)
Current potion of long-term debt	847,112	775,412
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations	$ 592,500	$ 600,000
Effective interest rate (percentage)	1.69%	1.67%
Secured Seller Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations	$ 230	$ 230
Stated interest rate (percentage)	10.00%	10.00%
Revolving line of credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations	$ 232,000	$ 135,000
Effective interest rate (percentage)	1.69%	1.67%

Long-Term Obligations (Details

Long-Term Obligations (Details 2)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Tier One [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	4
Tier Two [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	3.25
Tier Two [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	4
Tier Three [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	2.50
Tier Three [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	3.25
Tier Four [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	1.75
Tier Four [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	2.5
Tier Five [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	1
Tier Five [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	1.75
Tier Six [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Consolidated Leverage Ratio	1
Credit Agreement [Member] | Tier One [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Commitment Fee (percentage)	0.45%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Tier Two [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Commitment Fee (percentage)	0.40%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Tier Three [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Commitment Fee (percentage)	0.35%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Tier Four [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Commitment Fee (percentage)	0.30%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Tier Five [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Commitment Fee (percentage)	0.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Tier Six [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Commitment Fee (percentage)	0.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Eurodollar [Member] | Tier One [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	2.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Eurodollar [Member] | Tier Two [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	2.00%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Eurodollar [Member] | Tier Three [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	1.75%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Eurodollar [Member] | Tier Four [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	1.50%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Eurodollar [Member] | Tier Five [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	1.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Eurodollar [Member] | Tier Six [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	1.00%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Tier One [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	1.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Tier Two [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	1.00%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Tier Three [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	0.75%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Tier Four [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	0.50%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Tier Five [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	0.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Tier Six [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Applicable margin for borrowings (percentage)	0.00%
Senior Notes [Member] | Federal funds rate [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.50%
Senior Notes [Member] | Eurodollar [Member]
Schedule of Percentage Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and Commitment Fee [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.00%

Long-Term Obligations (Detail39

Long-Term Obligations (Details 3) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
2,015	$ 7,500
2,016	30,000
2,017	37,500
2,018	52,500
2,019	697,000
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
2,015	7,500
2,016	30,000
2,017	37,500
2,018	52,500
2,019	465,000
Revolving loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
2,015	0
2,016	0
2,017	0
2,018	0
2,019	$ 232,000

Long-Term Obligations (Detail40

Long-Term Obligations (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended			21 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations			$ 824,730		$ 735,230
Voting equity guarantee on indebtedness, percentage			65.00%
Non-voting equity guarantee on indebtedness, percentage			100.00%
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations			$ 592,500		600,000
Forecast [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal payment (quarterly)	$ 15,000	$ 11,300		$ 7,500
Revolving line of credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt obligations			$ 232,000		$ 135,000

Calculation of Earnings per S41

Calculation of Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Calculation of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share
Net income attributable to VCA Inc.	$ 54,854	$ 27,452	$ 147,454	$ 107,079
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	80,815,000	86,274,000	81,700,000	87,543,000
Effect of dilutive potential common shares:
Stock options (in shares)	338,000	324,000	338,000	285,000
Non-vested shares and units (in shares)	642,000	762,000	706,000	837,000
Diluted (in shares)	81,795,000	87,360,000	82,744,000	88,665,000
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.68	$ 0.32	$ 1.80	$ 1.22
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.67	$ 0.31	$ 1.78	$ 1.21
Calculation of Earnings per Share (Textuals) [Abstract]
Potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share	0	0		0

Lines of Business (Details)

Lines of Business (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Lines of Business
External revenue	$ 551,717	$ 499,577	$ 1,599,955	$ 1,438,556
Intercompany revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	551,717	499,577	1,599,955	1,438,556
Direct costs	414,051	375,820	1,207,580	1,092,933
Gross profit	137,666	123,757	392,375	345,623
Selling, general and administrative expense	44,860	42,792	133,743	124,163
Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets	92,806	80,965	258,632	221,460
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets	0	27,019	0	27,019
Business interruption insurance gain	(4,523)	0	(4,523)	0
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	250	470	(234)	(173)
Operating income (loss)	97,079	53,476	263,389	194,614
Depreciation and amortization	20,471	19,862	60,634	59,659
Property and equipment additions	26,949	22,114	61,470	50,093
Total assets	2,431,190		2,431,190		$ 2,332,020
Operating Segments [Member] | Animal Hospital [Member]
Lines of Business
External revenue	441,924	395,820	1,270,326	1,134,184
Intercompany revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	441,924	395,820	1,270,326	1,134,184
Direct costs	366,983	327,283	1,066,516	953,511
Gross profit	74,941	68,537	203,810	180,673
Selling, general and administrative expense	10,677	9,269	32,351	28,261
Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets	64,264	59,268	171,459	152,412
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		0		0
Business interruption insurance gain	0		0
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	175	598	(445)	1,180
Operating income (loss)	64,089	58,670	171,904	151,232
Depreciation and amortization	16,520	15,201	49,032	45,053
Property and equipment additions	19,429	17,224	45,506	38,411
Total assets	2,147,136		2,147,136		2,021,725
Operating Segments [Member] | Laboratory [Member]
Lines of Business
External revenue	84,129	77,394	252,645	233,497
Intercompany revenue	16,180	14,509	47,858	42,895
Total revenue	100,309	91,903	300,503	276,392
Direct costs	48,901	46,879	144,410	139,245
Gross profit	51,408	45,024	156,093	137,147
Selling, general and administrative expense	9,542	8,610	27,894	24,909
Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets	41,866	36,414	128,199	112,238
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		0		0
Business interruption insurance gain	0		0
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	0	7	41	(71)
Operating income (loss)	41,866	36,407	128,158	112,309
Depreciation and amortization	2,731	2,671	7,940	7,769
Property and equipment additions	5,735	2,391	11,813	5,676
Total assets	304,807		304,807		258,550
Operating Segments [Member] | All Other [Member]
Lines of Business
External revenue	24,544	25,397	73,895	68,055
Intercompany revenue	6,294	4,684	19,839	13,859
Total revenue	30,838	30,081	93,734	81,914
Direct costs	19,077	19,945	59,160	54,161
Gross profit	11,761	10,136	34,574	27,753
Selling, general and administrative expense	7,660	8,023	24,088	23,782
Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets	4,101	2,113	10,486	3,971
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		27,019		27,019
Business interruption insurance gain	(4,523)		(4,523)
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	72	0	92	(1,087)
Operating income (loss)	8,552	(24,906)	14,917	(21,961)
Depreciation and amortization	1,181	1,781	3,509	5,921
Property and equipment additions	127	1,123	1,427	2,801
Total assets	76,969		76,969		89,596
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Lines of Business
External revenue	0	0	0	0
Intercompany revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	0	0	0	0
Direct costs	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expense	16,981	16,890	49,410	47,211
Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets	(16,981)	(16,890)	(49,410)	(47,211)
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		0		0
Business interruption insurance gain	0		0
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	3	(135)	78	(195)
Operating income (loss)	(16,984)	(16,755)	(49,488)	(47,016)
Depreciation and amortization	588	688	1,755	2,333
Property and equipment additions	2,773	2,025	5,349	4,769
Total assets	391,471		391,471		270,414
Eliminations [Member]
Lines of Business
External revenue	1,120	966	3,089	2,820
Intercompany revenue	(22,474)	(19,193)	(67,697)	(56,754)
Total revenue	(21,354)	(18,227)	(64,608)	(53,934)
Direct costs	(20,910)	(18,287)	(62,506)	(53,984)
Gross profit	(444)	60	(2,102)	50
Selling, general and administrative expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss) before sale or disposal of assets	(444)	60	(2,102)	50
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets		0		0
Business interruption insurance gain	0		0
Net loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(444)	60	(2,102)	50
Depreciation and amortization	(549)	(479)	(1,602)	(1,417)
Property and equipment additions	(1,115)	$ (649)	(2,625)	$ (1,564)
Total assets	$ (489,193)		$ (489,193)		$ (308,265)

Commitments and Contingencies (

Commitments and Contingencies (Details)	Jul. 16, 2014plaintiff	May. 07, 2014claim	Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Potential earn-out payment			$ 5,500,000
Contingent consideration			3,100,000	$ 3,200,000
Number of claims dismissed | claim		4
Jorge Duran vs. VCA Animal Hospitals [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Total number of claims | claim		8
Kimba Bradsbery and Cheri Brakensiek vs. Vicar Operating, Inc. [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs | plaintiff	2
Carlos Lopez versus Logistics Delivery Solutions, LLC [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Settlement agreement, maximum amount			$ 1,250,000
Accrued amount of settlement, percentage			50.00%

Noncontrolling Interests (Detai

Noncontrolling Interests (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interest expense, Income Statement Impact	$ 1,088	$ 1,172
Noncontrolling Interests [Roll Forward]
Redeemable noncontrolling interests, beginning balance	11,077
Redemption value change	1,392	723
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(690)	29
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(1,784)	(1,627)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests, ending balance	11,273
Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interest expense, Income Statement Impact	1,088	1,172
Redemption value change, Income Statement Impact	1	315
Noncontrolling Interests [Roll Forward]
Redeemable noncontrolling interests, beginning balance	9,405	9,355
Redemption value change	1,089	1,487
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(803)
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(1,099)	(1,064)
Currency translation adjustment	(338)	(358)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests, ending balance	8,254	9,420
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interest expense, Income Statement Impact	1,021	940
Redemption value change, Income Statement Impact	371	(217)
Noncontrolling Interests [Roll Forward]
Redeemable noncontrolling interests, beginning balance	11,077	10,678
Redemption value change	1,392	723
Formation of noncontrolling interests		855
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(356)
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(1,196)	(886)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests, ending balance	$ 11,273	$ 11,014

Noncontrolling Interests (Det45

Noncontrolling Interests (Details Textuals)	Sep. 30, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership interest in partnership	50.10%

Subsequent Events (Details)

Subsequent Events (Details) - shares	1 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2016
Common Stock [Member] | Restricted Stock [Member] | Executives [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of shares granted	159,971
Vesting period of awards	4 years
Forecast [Member] | Vetstreet [Member] | Henry Schein, Inc. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proposed ownership percentage following transaction		8010.00%