How to remove watchdog?

[Chris]

Or at least make it non fatal.
OK here's the story; I'm experimenting with a multiport NIC (re(4))
as we hope to start using multiport 10G NICs.
Any of the re's we've used in the past have been very stable, which
is why I picked the one I did for this experiment. This one has been
performing rock solid for some 4 to 6 mos, under full time use. That
is until the last week. Where we're seeing:
watchdog timeout
repeated frequently. Which is ultimately fatal. ifconfig up/down will
not resuscitate it. Nor will service ifconfig restart, or plugging/
unplugging the cable(s). Bouncing the server is the only cure. Which
is unacceptable. Any, and All suggestions, or insight into the matter
GREATLY appreciated. Note; while this is an old 11.1, we're not planning
to up this box until we can confirm this can be cured. :)

Details follow:
11.1-STABLE r327867 amd64

watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout
watchdog timeout

rc.conf(5)
ifconfig_re0="inet AA.BBB.CC.XX netmask 255.255.255.0 rxcsum txcsum tso4"
ifconfig_re1="inet AA.BBB.CC.WW netmask 255.255.255.0 rxcsum txcsum tso4"
ifconfig_re1_alias0="inet AA.BBB.CC.ZZ netmask 255.255.255.0"

ifconfig(8)
re0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
	options=8219b<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,VLAN_HWCSUM,TSO4,WOL_MAGIC,LINKSTATE>
	ether 00:13:3b:0f:13:44
	hwaddr 00:13:3b:0f:13:44
	inet6 fe80::213:3bff:fe0f:1344%re0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x1 
	inet AA.BBB.CC.XX netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 24.113.41.255 
	nd6 options=23<PERFORMNUD,ACCEPT_RTADV,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
	media: Ethernet autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex>)
	status: active
re1: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
	options=8219b<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,VLAN_HWCSUM,TSO4,WOL_MAGIC,LINKSTATE>
	ether 00:13:3b:0f:13:45
	hwaddr 00:13:3b:0f:13:45
	inet AA.BBB.CC.WW netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 24.113.41.255 
	inet AA.BBB.CC.ZZ netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 24.113.41.255 
	inet6 fe80::213:3bff:fe0f:1345%re1 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x2 
	nd6 options=23<PERFORMNUD,ACCEPT_RTADV,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
	media: Ethernet autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex>)
	status: active
lo0: flags=8049<UP,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 16384
	options=600003<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,RXCSUM_IPV6,TXCSUM_IPV6>
	inet6 ::1 prefixlen 128 
	inet6 fe80::1%lo0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x3 
	inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xff000000 
	nd6 options=21<PERFORMNUD,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
	groups: lo 

pciconf(8)
re0 at pci0:5:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x012310ec chip=0x816810ec rev=0x07 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.'
    device     = 'RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
re1 at pci0:6:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x012310ec chip=0x816810ec rev=0x07 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.'
    device     = 'RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet

Thanks again!

--Chris