The claws were out over social media Friday, after Kensington Palace issued a photo of Prince George where he appeared to be feeding the family dog ice cream.

Angry tweeters called out the Royals over the photo, which was one of a series of images released by Kensington Palace to mark the little prince’s third birthday.

In it, Prince George appears to be feeding the family dog, Lupo, beige-coloured ice cream as the pair sit on a picnic blanket outdoors. Animal experts say that dessert treats such as chocolate and other dairy products can cause serious illness or complications in canines.

According to Canadian Kennel Club nutritional guidelines, dairy products are also considered a doggy no-no, as milk and milk-based products may cause digestive problems and “set up” food allergies. Chocolate and raisins, two ingredients that are sometimes added to ice cream, are also considered dangerous for dogs.

Social media users went so far as to suggest that feeding Lupo the frozen treat was animal cruelty, with one tweeter calling the toddler a “monarchist monster.”

“Never give a dog Ice Cream!” the tweeter continued. “At worst: it’ll die, At best: the dog will diarrhea everywhere!”

Another went as far as to call it “irresponsible animal cruelty paid for by the taxpayer.”

Others were a little bewildered by the criticism.

“Goodness me, the uproar that Prince George gave Lupo some ice cream,” one tweeter wrote. “Lucky Lupo we say.”

Dr. Shane Renwick, an animal welfare manager with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, said while ice cream may only cause problems in dogs that are lactose-intolerant, it’s best to stick with good-quality dog treats.

“Some dogs could drink a litre of milk and they’re just fine … but sometimes you don’t know until something goes awry,” Renwick said in an interview with CTVNews.ca. “The dogs get a very well-balanced nutrition through good-quality dog foods and good quality treats, so why take a chance and give them something that might make them ill.”

Renwick also suggested that humans and dogs shouldn’t share food, in order to reduce the risk of transmitted disease.

Grazyna Szawlowski, co-owner of the Flying Hound, an Ottawa business that delivers organic, hormone-free frozen and baked doggie treats by bicycle, said ice cream tends to have a lot of sugar and is high in fat.

“I worry about diabetes, pancreatitis and over-feeding as well, since dogs become overweight easily,” she said.

However, Szawlowski pointed out that it’s impossible to know what ingredients are being fed to Lupo and how much he received, if any.

“I think the critics may be a little harsh,” she said.

For the most part, tweeters paid no mind to the ice cream photo and sent warm birthday greetings to the young royal.