Can you put ointment on dog stitches?

According to ehow.com, you should wet a washcloth with warm water and soak the dried blood,etc. around the wound (do NOT rub or scrub!!) After about ten minutes of soaking the stiches, you should use a q-tip with hot water to gently clean the stitches, and follow up by putting Betadine (over-the-counter) on the wound and letting it air-dry (blowing on it can cause bacteria transfer)