Aug 4 (Reuters) - IDEXX Laboratories ( IDXX ) raised its

full-year profit and revenue forecasts on Monday after reporting

better-than-expected second-quarter results, driven by strong

demand for its veterinary diagnostic equipment and services.

Shares of the Westbrook, Maine-based animal diagnostics

maker rose about 8% in premarket trading.

Analysts expect veterinary clinic visits to rebound over the

next few years, due to a rising population of pet owners and

aging animals, after a period of subdued spending amid economic

uncertainty.

The company now expects annual profit between $12.40 and

$12.76 per share, compared with its previous range of $11.93 to

$12.43.

IDEXX ( IDXX ) also raised its annual sales forecast to between $4.21

billion and $4.28 billion from $4.10 billion and $4.21 billion.

Analysts were expecting revenues of $4.15 billion and an

adjusted profit of $12.19 per share for the year, according to

data compiled by LSEG.

The company cited expectation of higher sales of its

veterinary cellular analyzer and a roughly $70 million tailwind

from favorable foreign exchange rate movements for the improved

forecast.

IDEXX ( IDXX ) offers diagnostic equipment, such as blood and urine

analyzers, and imaging systems to help vets diagnose and treat

animals. It also provides veterinary software and run reference

laboratories for more complex tests.

Sales at IDEXX's ( IDXX ) companion animal group unit, its largest

unit which offers diagnostics for pets and IT services to

veterinary clinics, rose about 11% to $1.02 billion in the

second quarter ended June 30.

On an adjusted basis, IDEXX ( IDXX ) reported a profit of $3.63 per

share for the quarter, comfortably beating analysts'

expectations of $3.30.

Total revenue for the quarter climbed to $1.11 billion,

surpassing analysts' estimates of $1.07 billion.

(Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini

Ganguli)