v2.4.0.8
Debt (Details) (USD $)
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 29, 2013
Jun. 30, 2012
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]    
Weighted average interest rate on borrowings under credit lines at period end (in hundredths) 3.68%  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Accelerated amortization of deferred financing costs $ 6,203,000 $ 0
Private placement facilities [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Minimum term of issuances under private placement facilities (in years) five  
Maximum term of issuances under private placement facilities (in years) 15  
Maximum average life of issuances under private placement facilities (in years) 12  
Issuance period (in years) three  
Debt instrument carrying amount 250,000,000  
Private placement facilities original borrowing [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, face amount 400,000,000  
Number of insurance companies providing private placement facilities (in number of insurance companies) two  
Private placement facilities additional borrowing [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, face amount 375,000,000  
Number of insurance companies providing private placement facilities (in number of insurance companies) one  
Private placement facilities maturing in September 2020 [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Date of borrowing Sep. 02, 2010  
Due date Sep. 02, 2020  
Debt instrument carrying amount 100,000,000  
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage (in hundredths) 3.79%  
Private placement facilities maturing in January 2024 [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Date of borrowing Jan. 20, 2012  
Due date Jan. 20, 2024  
Debt instrument carrying amount 50,000,000  
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage (in hundredths) 3.45%  
Private placement facilities maturing in January 2022 [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Date of borrowing Jan. 20, 2012  
Due date Jan. 20, 2022  
Private placement facility annual payment 7,100,000  
Private placement facility annual payment commencement date Jan. 20, 2016  
Debt instrument carrying amount 50,000,000  
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage (in hundredths) 3.09%  
Private placement facilities maturing in December 2024 [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Date of borrowing Dec. 24, 2012  
Due date Dec. 24, 2024  
Debt instrument carrying amount 50,000,000  
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage (in hundredths) 3.00%  
Henry Schein Animal Health debt [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument carrying amount 220,000,000  
Accelerated amortization of deferred financing costs 6,200,000  
U.S. trade accounts receivable securitization [Member]
    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, face amount 300,000,000  
Debt instrument carrying amount 155,000,000  
Pricing commitment period three  
Stated interest rate on borrowings under asset-backed securitization program the average asset-backed commercial paper rate plus 75 basis points  
Commitment fee for facility usage - facility limit greater than or equal to fifty percent usage (in basis points) 30  
Commitment fee for facility usage - facility limit less than fifty percent usage (in basis points) 35  
Current revolving credit facility [Member]
    
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]    
Revolving credit facility borrowing capacity 500,000,000  
Additional credit available under expansion feature of revolving credit facility 200,000,000  
Revolving credit facility expiration date Sep. 12, 2017  
Outstanding letters of credit provided to third parties 9,200,000  
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding 0  
Previous revolving credit facility [Member]
    
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]    
Revolving credit facility borrowing capacity 400,000,000  
Additional credit available under expansion feature of revolving credit facility 100,000,000  
Revolving credit facility expiration date Sep. 05, 2013  
Various other short-term bank credit lines [Member]
    
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]    
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding $ 15,600,000