We apologize that it's giving you trouble. We've received up to three photos from other people submitting questions, so perhaps it's a quirk that will resolve itself next time you need to submit more than one file.

It's hard to be certain about which animal was responsible, but our two prime suspects are deer (bucks rubbing antlers, usually) and squirrels (which can strip bark to use in building their nests in tree canopies). If it was deer, the only effective deterrent would be a physical barrier like fencing or deer netting. Bucks primarily do this in autumn, but it might last into early winter before their antlers get ready to shed for the season. If squirrels were the culprit, there's not much that can repel them, unfortunately.

If the damaged branches don't survive due to the cambium (sapwood) injury, they can be pruned off and the plant will eventually replace that lost growth.

Miri

You're welcome.