May 1 (Reuters) - IDEXX Laboratories ( IDXX ) lowered

its annual sales forecast after missing quarterly estimates on

Wednesday, as the animal diagnostic equipment maker expects a

hit from a slowdown in veterinary clinic visits by pet owners

and a stronger dollar.

Visits to veterinary clinics, after a COVID-driven boom,

have been disrupted due to staffing shortages in the past few

years.

IDEXX ( IDXX ) lowered its full-year revenue forecast to between $3.9

billion and $3.97 billion from its previous estimate of $3.93

billion to $4.04 billion.

Analysts on average estimate the company's revenue for the

period to be $3.99 billion, according to LSEG data.

The company's outlook includes a $35 million negative impact

from the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. Maine-based IDEXX ( IDXX )

earns around a third of its revenue from markets outside the

United States, including Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe and Latin

America.

IDEXX ( IDXX ) also lowered its 2024 profit forecast to between

$10.82 and $11.20 per share from its previous range of $10.84 to

$11.33 per share.

It posted sales of $964.1 million in the quarter ended March

31, missing analysts' average estimate of $966.1 million.

IDEXX ( IDXX ) said quarterly revenue was also hurt by lower clinical

visits due to severe weather in the United States in January.

Sales at its companion animal group unit, which offers

diagnostics and IT services for pets to veterinary clinics, rose

7.5% to $889.3 million in the quarter.

The company's first-quarter net profit was $235.6 million,

or $2.81 per share, compared with $214.1 million, or $2.55 per

share, a year earlier.