The standard existence-uniqueness theorem applies to initial value problems where $f$ is such that $\partial f/\partial v$ is continuous. The given $f$ has continuous partial derivatives as long as $v$ does not turn into zero.
To find out how long we have until the solution hits zero, solve the equation. It's separable. To keep things rigorous, let's say that $w=u^2$, and then $$w' = 2uu' = -2te^{t^2} \tag1$$ which leads to $w(t) = C - e^{t^2}$. Here $C=5$ from the initial condition.
Now you know that $u(t) = \sqrt{5-\exp(t^2)}$ for as long as the expression under the root is positive. This is the maximal interval of existence, because if a solution $u$ existed beyond it, the function $u^2$ would be a nonnegative solution of (1), but we know exactly what the solutions of (1) are.